Duplex
by LLF
Summary: The sequel to 'All We'll Ever Need'...a heart wrenching event brings Susan, Susie and Cosmo back to Chicago and their Abby and Luka friendship. A year in the life of my AU friends. A year of grief, troublesome events and encouraging triumphs. Enjoy....
1. Chapter 1 Decisions

Chapter 1 – Decision

Susan Lewis folded her arms and leaned down on the edge of her kitchen sink as she looked out through the window into the back yard. It was a beautiful, sunny late afternoon. Cosmo had climbed from the top of the slide to the top ridge of the wooden swing set. He was straddling the wide beam as he tried to fit the pirate flag into the hole his dad had drilled for it months ago. She wasn't worried. She had seen him do the same thing many times. She knew that he would scootch back and then ease himself back to the top of the slide and then slide backwards down into the grass. That was his routine. Five years old and he already had a 'slide habit' mastered. She smiled slightly and shook her head. Her son was a hoot. He never failed to amaze and delight them. Them. Her smile faded somewhat and her eyes shifted to the sight of the girl in the swing. Susie's legs stretched out straight in front of her and she twisted herself slowly from side to side as she turned the purple and silver soccer ball around in her hands. She looked up as Cosmo said something and smiled. Susan watched the two of them as Cosmo scootched backwards and swung his already tanned legs down onto the slide landing. Sure enough, he plopped down and slid backwards down to the grass. Susie grinned and then her smile faded and she went back to turning the ball over and over. Susan sighed. Her nieice was finally beginning to get some of the physical maturity that she had longed for…moaned about for months. She had taken Chuck's death hard. Really hard. A girl on the cusp of womanhood and she had lost the man in her life….twice. First the stepfather that had raised her from babyhood and now the uncle that had stepped in for the last three years.

Two months. It had been two months since Chuck died. Sometimes it felt like it was just yesterday and others like an eternity. It had been a horrible winter. She had kept him home with Hospice help and he had died here…with them. With the family he loved and that loved him so desperately. She hadn't really thought about how hard it would be to stay in the house when the hospital bed and the oxygen tanks and the helpers were all gone. It seemed so empty. She had tried to get things back to normal. Tried to get them all back into a normal routine. School, daycare and work. There had been play group counseling for Cosmo. Group grief counseling sessions for Susie. She had been offered the same but had declined. She dealt with death and grief all of the time. It was a fact of life. She could deal with this. She could. She had tons of help after all. Everyone at the hospital had stepped up to help with her shifts and administrative duties. She had friends. Susie had friends. Cosmo had a multitude of play dates with sympathizing school buddies. Normal.

Susan reached down and pulled the paper from her pocket. It was an email with a picture of a house. A duplex. She studied it carefully again and glanced out at the children in the yard. Maybe it was time. She was trying hard to abide by the cardinal rule not to make any drastic life changes for the first six months but…..maybe it was time now. Maybe it was time to make a decision.

She brought the email out again after dinner. She cleared the plates from the kitchen table and brought dishes of yogurt and fresh fruit to them for dessert. Cosmo dug right in and Susie pushed the fruit around for a bit. She glanced at the paper when Susan moved it to the center of the table.

"A duplex?" she said as she picked it up. "Are we moving?" Susan shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. 'It's just something I have been thinking about. Kinda nice. We would have our own garage and our own house basically. It shares a front porch and a small backyard. It would be closer to Grandpa…..and Grandma Martin."

"You want to move back to Chicago?" Susie's eyes widened. "What about your job here? Could you even get a job in Chicago again?" Susan grimaced and shook her head.

"I can get a job just about anywhere I want to, Miss Smarty," she chuckled wryly. "But if we sell this house and with insurance money, I wouldn't have to for a while. I could get the two of you settled and moonlight and try out a couple of different places. I would have to sign an actual contract until I found a place that was a good fit for all of us." Susie frowned and set the paper back on the table. Susan studied her niece as the girl thoughtfully stirred her strawberries into the smooth yogurt in her bowl.

"It has to be a decision all three of us make together," Susan said quietly. "I know that you love your school and you have good friends….."

"There are schools in Chicago," Susie interrupted softly. "and I can email my friends." She dragged her blue eyes to Susan's green ones and a slight smile crossed her face. For the first time in a while Susan saw a familiar spark in Susie's eyes.

"You won't have as much freedom in the city," Susan warned. "There are no malls and getting your driver's license…."

"We can take the el," Susie said. "And there are parks and Michigan Avenue."

"Like we can afford Michigan Avenue…." Susan chuckled. Susie grinned and raised her eyebrows.

"Are you sure?" Susan asked. Susie nodded. They both looked over at the little boy who sat at the end of the table enjoying his dessert.

"What do you think, Cos?" Susan asked as she lifted the picture of the house up for him to see. "Do you want to move to a new house? Live closer to Grandpa?" Cosmo studied the picture in front of him and glanced from one face to the other. He took the paper from his mother and looked at it again.

"But if we move to this house…" he said slowly as he looked up at his mother. "How will Daddy find us again?" Susan's heart fell and she glanced across the table. Susie sighed.


	2. Chapter 2 Moving Day

_Why Lauren and not Joe? This AU family was created in a fanfic that was written after spoilers for '21 Guns' first began to circulate. That story was entitled "The Things We Do'. Quite frankly, at the time I wanted desperately to see Luka dealing with a baby girl and 'Lauren' was born. She has figured in a number of my AU fan fics since that time. Because it has been fun watching Luka parent a little boy after all, I debated changing her into 'Joe' for this story and decided not to. As always…I do not own the characters of Abby, Luka or Susan….but am profoundly grateful to ER for creating them and to Maura Tierney, Goran Visnjic and Sherry Stringfield for bringing them to life for us._

Chapter 2 – Moving Day

Abby took another swipe at the glass in the front window with the paper towel and stood back to survey her handiwork. She suppressed a smile as her little 'helper' did the same. She bent down to press a kiss to the top of her two year old daughter's head. She looked up as a car pulled into the driveway on the other side of the porch. She grinned and opened the front door.

"Luka!" she called. "They're here!" A huge moving van pulled up to the curb as she hurried down the steps of the porch toward the car.

"Welcome home!" she cried happily and hugged Susie as she got out of the car. The back door opened and Cosmo struggled out of his booster seat and hopped out. He grimaced as Abby wrapped her arms around him and kissed the top of his head. He looked up happily as Luka came out the front door onto the porch. Lauren was hugging her father's knee as they waited on the top step.

"How was your trip?" Abby asked as Susan rounded the front of the car toward her.

"Oh….lovely," Susan sighed heavily as she hugged Abby. "If I hear the Philadelphia Chickens CD again any time soon, I think will kill myself ."

"It's not so bad," Susie chuckled. "I like the Belly Button song."

"Yeah," Susan said. "I did too…..until the 25th consecutive time." Abby grinned as they approached the porch.

"You made it safe and sound," Luka said to Susan as he tossed a laughing Cosmo over his shoulder. He leaned down to kiss Susan's cheek and then lifted Lauren carefully and tossed her over his other shoulder. The little girl shrieked in delight as he headed into the house with both kids. Susan took in the new white whicker furniture on the porch and put her hands on her hips. She frowned.

"Abby," she scolded. "You weren't supposed to buy anything for either porch until we got here."

"We didn't buy it," Abby said. "Your dad had it delivered yesterday. It's a housewarming gift for all of us." Susan shook her head.

"Now you know he has an excuse to hang out here, don't you?" she said. Abby grinned and nodded. Susie opened the door ahead of them and bounded inside.

"I'm going to check out my room!" she called and disappeared up the staircase just inside the front door. Susan entered more slowly and looked around the newly painted living room. Late afternoon sunlight flooded the small alcove off to the side that overlooked the driveway.

"It looks beautiful…" she sighed. "How did you get it all done so fast?"

"Oh, we called in a few favors," Abby laughed. "And we owe a half dozen others a steak barbecue slash housewarming party." Susan nodded and her smile widened as she entered the small kitchen and dining room area.

"It looks beautiful," she sighed. "What about your place?"

"Ours has furniture," Abby grinned. Susan laughed and nodded. She looked up as she heard a power drill coming from the backyard. Curiously she opened the screen door and stepped out on to the deck. Luka was holding a drill and watched as Cosmo placed the stick of a pirate flag into a freshly drilled hole on the new play structure that stood in the corner of the yard. Susan frowned again and glanced from the play structure to Abby.

"It was all his doing," Abby confessed as she held up her hands. "I was looking at furniture and lamps and he was looking at playgrounds." Luka adjusted a pirate patch on Cosmo's eye and handed him a toy spyglass.

"Ahoy, matey!" Cosmo hollered from his perch at the top of the tree house like structure.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain?" Luka growled in a thick Croatian accent. Cosmo's eyes widened slightly and he looked Luka over from head to toe.

"You can't," he said with a chuckle. "You're too big." Luka grinned and carefully climbed up the ladder and squeezed himself through the door space. Cosmo's eyes grew even wider as Luka stood up and lifted him to his shoulder.

"Oh geez…." Abby breathed as she saw how high up in the air Cosmo was. The little boy was grinning gleefully and looking around with the spyglass. Abby didn't know who looked happier, Cosmo or Luka. And she was very glad that Lauren was safely ensconced in the nearby sandbox, happily playing with her shovels and pails and other sand toys. She turned to say the same to Susan and stopped when she saw the tears that threatened to spill down her friend's cheeks.

"Chuck should be here…." Susan whispered. Abby frowned sympathetically and her arm snaked across Susan's shoulders.

"If he were," she said softly. "You'd still be in Iowa." Susan nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed determinedly.

"They must be ready to start moving things inside," she said. "Come on. I feel like bossing someone around. Those hunky movers should do very nicely." Abby laughed and followed Susan back inside the duplex.


	3. Chapter 3 First Day

_Disclaimer: Don't own it or them...wish I did. Just borrow it and them on occasion..._

Susan glanced warily up at the big doors of the high school entrance and the streams of kids going inside and milling around on the front steps. These were sophomores? Her eyes shifted to Susie's face and she shook her head.

"Maybe we should just go the home schooling route like your counselor in Iowa suggested," she said. Susie shrugged and her eyes never moved off the scene in front of her.

"I can do that, too," she said. "But this is just temporary….until they find room for me somewhere else."

"I know, sweetie," Susan said. "But no AP classes? You're going to be bored with the general ed curriculum."

"Well, you know me…socially inept," Susie sighed. "This will give me a chance to make some friends."

"Or get into trouble," Susan muttered worriedly. She smiled reassuringly as Susie leaned over to press a quick kiss to her cheek.

"I'll pick you up right here at two o'clock," Susan said. Susie nodded and shifted her book bag over her shoulder and opened the car door. Susan watched her head up the steps to the front doors and shook her head as she noticed the heads turning on some of the boys lounging on the steps. They were watching appreciatively as tiny little Susie entered the building.

"Damn it, Chuck" she whispered softly to herself. "How am I going to handle this by myself?" She sighed and looked back carefully before pulling her car into the busy traffic in front of the school.

It took a while to wade through the necessary paperwork required by the medical temp service she had decided to go with. The agency served a wider circle of Chicago medical facilities and she hadn't thought about the driving she would have to do to get back and forth from some of them. Fortunately Cosmo and Lauren were enrolled in the same daycare/primary school. Abby had assured her that they would be able to help one another out Susie's situation was a worry. Susan hated the thought of her being on her own too much. She hated the look of the girl's new school. The private school she had attended in Iowa had been set in the middle of rolling grassy fields on a tree lined street. And there was something comforting and stable about the uniforms, the required outside activities and friends she had made. Who was she kidding? There was something very comforting about the all girl environment. She hated the fact that they had been unable to get her into any of the magnet schools her Iowa counselor had found for them here. The advanced placement classes in the public school were also all filled by the time she applied. Maybe moving back wasn't such a good idea after all.

A little while later Susan took a deep breath as she gazed toward the ambulance bay doors of County. Here was another hurdle to drag herself over. Abby had insisted that she have lunch with her. Susan stopped and studied the new entry way. It was funny. Here had been changes….new paint….nicer benches….a longer ramp. Yet it still looked like the same old ER. There was a slight catch in her throat as she glanced around and saw images from her past. Mark and Doug fighting it out with a basketball as Carol watched….Carter lounging on the bench with a cup of coffee in his hand….Kerry Weaver waving her crutch and directing...no…. bossing whoever came close…..one ambulance arrival after another…rain…snow….and Chuck. She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill, swallowed the lump in her throat and strode toward the doors.

Once inside the waiting area she began to smile. Not even a new coat of paint could take away the feel of 'home'. She had spent a lot of years on this floor. Treated a lot of patients. Learned a lot. Lived through a lot. Abby was at the triage desk and waved. Susan grinned and sat down in a chair to wait for her. She glanced around at the waiting patients and suppressed a smile. She thought she even recognized a few of them. One thing hadn't changed….and would always be a part of County. The pulse. The heart. This was a place where anyone could come to find healing. It's doctors and staff were always overworked and under appreciated. But they would always remain compassionate. The most hard edged professional would find something to care about in the ER. Susan shook her head. Even Romano had had his moments. She looked up as Abby came through the doors with a sweater tied over her shoulders.

"Let's get out of here before we both get sucked back into the vortex," Abby sighed.

"Rough morning?" Abby shrugged.

"No more than usual," she replied. "Just never ending. Did you get Susie to school okay?" Susan grimaced as they crossed the ambulance bay.

"Today was supposed to be sophomores only but I don't know," she said. "Some of those boys sitting on the front steps looked awfully….muscular….to be sophomores." Abby looked over at her and laughed. She slipped an arm across her friend's shoulders and squeezed.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said happily. Susan grinned and relaxed a bit.

"Me too," she said quietly. Her smile faded somewhat.

"I am basically nonviolent, you know that," she said. "But does Luka have a shot gun? I think I might have to borrow it when some of these….sophomores….start calling for help with their homework." Abby grinned and led the way to the small diner around the corner from the bay entrance.

Susie was sitting on the steps of the high school when Susan pulled her car up to the curb at the end of the school day. She was sitting in the middle of a group of kids with a huge smile on her face. She waved and stood up. One of the more 'muscular' boys quickly grabbed her backpack for her and followed her to the car.

"This is Brett Baker, Aunt Susan," she said as she tipped her head in his direction. "I was helping him with his trig and he missed his ride. Can we drive him home? It's on the way." Susan's mouth dropped open and she nodded. Susie grinned and waved at the crowd on the steps and then slipped into the front seat of the car. Susan watched in the mirror as the oh too handsome high schooler in the back seat buckled his seat belt. She glanced over at Susie, who was sitting demurely with a slight smile on her face.

"Socially inept, huh?" Susan muttered. Susie's smile widened and she continued to gaze forward.

"So….Brett," Susan said as she pulled the car into the street. "Do you play football?" The boy in the back nodded.

"And I am captain of the wrestling squad, ma'am," he responded politely. Susan's eyes darted to the girl sitting next to her and Susie finally looked at her and shrugged happily. Borrow a shotgun? Crap. She was going to have to buy her own.


	4. Chapter 4 The Drawing

Susan dragged herself wearily up the steps of the duplex and into the open door of her living room. Susie looked up from the couch where she was curled up with her homework.

"Hi," she said. "Rough day?" Susan draped her coat over a nearby chair and dropped onto the couch next to her.

"Chicago must have a monopoly on babies with fevers," she sighed. "I have seen way more than my share today."

"Are you still at that pediatric clinic?" Susan nodded.

"Until the end of the week," she said. "Where's Cosmo?"

"Out in back playing with Luka," Susie said absently as she bent her head back over her Math book. "He was upset about something that happened at school. I couldn't get him to tell me about it though." Susan watched her niece thoughtfully for a moment and then pulled herself up from the couch.

"Stir fry and rice okay for dinner?" Susie nodded.

"I'll help as soon as I finish here," she said. Susan nodded and headed through the house to the back door. Susie couldn't get Cosmo to tell her what happened at school? Cosmo usually told Susie everything. Susan slowed as she could hear their voices on the back porch. She peeked through the door and smiled a little at the sight of Luka sitting on the top step with Cosmo next to him. Their backs were to her but she could see the drawing in Luka's hands.

"It's a very nice picture," Luka was saying as he smoothed the wrinkles out of the crumpled paper on his knee.

"We had to draw the people that live in our house," Cosmo said.

"I can see that," Luka nodded. He pointed to something. "You have Lauren, Abby and me one side and your Mom, Susie and you on the other. That's right. And here is the wall between our homes. It's very good. Very accurate."

"It's weird," Cosmo said. "Cameron said so." Susan frowned slightly. Nice going Cameron, she thought. Guess you won't be invited to at least one birthday party this year.

"Why would he say that?" Luka asked.

"He said that the daddy should be on MY side of the house," Cosmo sighed. "He said that boys shouldn't live in a house with just two girls." Susan rolled her eyes. Make that no play dates as well, Cameron.

"I told him my daddy had cancer and died."

"What did he say then?" Luka asked. Cosmo shrugged and studied the picture on Luka's knee.

"Do you think people who get cancer go live in heaven?" he asked. Susan held her breath as she waited for Luka's answer.

"I do," Luka replied firmly. Ka-ching! Susan added a couple more dollars to her mental Christmas budget for the good Dr. Kovac's gift.

"My little girl and little boy are there." Cosmo looked up at him with a slight frown on his face.

"No, not Lauren," Luka chuckled. "Marko and Jasna died a long time ago."

"Did they have cancer too?" Luka shook his head.

"No," he said. "There was a war in my country and a bomb dropped on our house. Their mother died also." Cosmo continued to look up at Luka and study him.

"They were good people so I know God lets them live in heaven."

"My daddy was a good people too." Luka smiled softly as something caught in Susan's throat.

"Yes…he was," he said. He lifted the drawing from his knees and held it up. "So what shall we do with this wonderful drawing?"

"My teacher wanted to hang it in the hall but I took it down," Cosmo said. "Should I do another one for her?"

"Why?" Luka asked. "This one is perfect. And don't listen to what this…Cameron says. Maybe you should just find a new friend?"

"But he's my best friend," Cosmo protested. "He shares his twisty crayons with me." Luka nodded. Okay…maybe one play date, Cameron, Susan thought.

"And he gave me an extra popcorn money when my mom forgot." Susan shook her head and rolled her eyes. Okay. He is back on the birthday party list. Luke glanced up and pointed toward the play structure.

"Awww…Lauren," he sighed wearily. "She wants to go up the ladder….again."

"I can help her!" Cosmo cried and raced toward the play structure, his problems with the drawing apparently forgotten. Susan was jolted by the clank of a pan as Susie pulled one from the cupboard.

"I'll get the rice started," she said brightly. Susan nodded and watched as Luka crossed the yard and stood near the ladder as Cosmo climbed up close behind Lauren so she wouldn't fall. He was a good kid. He deserved a better hand in life than the one he had been dealt.

It was barely a week later when Susan stood in front of Cosmo's drawing on the wall outside his classroom. She smiled slightly as her fingers touched the crayoned drawing. He had added a cloud over their side of the duplex with a face peeking over the side. It was definitely Chuck. And over the other side there were two smaller clouds with two smaller faces. Luka's family. Cosmo was definitely a kid with a huge heart.

"Mommy," Cosmo tugged at her hand. "Come and see my desk!" Susan's grin widened and she let him pull her into the brightly lit and crowded classroom. She bent over his desk and listened as Cosmo carried on non stop about the books and papers displayed on his desk. She picked up a pencil to add a message in his writing journal and then he was gone. He was back a second later dragging another little boy by the hand. The infamous Cameron. Susan smiled as Cosmo introduced them and shook Cameron's hand. He was a stocky little Asian with straight dark hair that fell over his forehead. His eyes disappeared when he smiled at her. And then the two boys were off again. Susan watched them as they made their way toward the cookie table.

"You must be the infamous Cosmo's mother." Susan looked up at a couple that approached from across the room.

"We hear about nothing from school that doesn't revolve around Cosmo," the woman before her said. "We're Cameron's parents……Rebecca and Greg White." Susan took in the freckled red head and her very Caucasian husband and grinned.

"Susan Lewis," she said as she shook hands with them. "And we hear a lot about Cameron as well."

"I think our boys are destined to be best friends for a while," Rebecca said as she glanced toward them. "Cameron is already bugging for me invite him for a play date. Maybe we should exchange phone numbers?"

"That would be great!" Susan sighed and dug into her purse for one of her business cards. "He hasn't had a chance to make too many friends since we moved."

"From Iowa," Greg laughed. "And you are a real live doctor…." Susan stopped digging and looked up at them in surprise.

"I hope he didn't decide to divulge my age, weight and social security number," she frowned. The Whites laughed and they chatted for a few more minutes before going off to collect their cookie crumb covered little boys. Susie had joined them and after speaking with Cosmo's teacher and signing up for a parent teacher conference, the three of them headed back out into the hall. They were making their way to the front door of the school when Susie stopped.

"Hey, Susu!" someone called. She turned around and smiled as a very well proportioned man made his way toward them. Susan frowned a bit as she took in his snug jeans and polo shirt.

"What's up, kid?" he said as he clipped the top of her head with a finger. "What are you doing here tonight?" His eyes went down to Cosmo and he knelt down.

"Don't tell me that Susie is your big sister, Cosmo," he asked in surprise. Cosmo shook his head and looked up at Susan.

"They're cousins actually," Susan explained. "But it's kind of…..complicated." The man looked up at her and straightened slowly.

"I'm David Burns," he said as he extended his hand. "I'm the PE teacher here."

"Nice to meet you," Susan replied. "Susan Lewis." Susie's eyes shifted from one adult face to the other and her grip tightened on Cosmo's hand.

"We'll head toward the car," she said and dragged the little boy away.

"Great kids," David said as he ran his fingers through his short dark hair and watched them go. "Susie is the reason I still have a tight end."

"I beg your pardon?" Susan gazed at him in sudden shock. The PE teacher chuckled.

"Oh…and a wide receiver and right tackle," he added quickly as his blue eyes twinkled. "I am the JV football coach at the high school Apparently Susie has been helping some of my guys through their Math class by tutoring them at lunch time." Susan relaxed and nodded in understanding. They stood together in awkward silence for a moment and then Susan shrugged.

"Well, it was very nice meeting you," she said. David nodded.

"I hope you'll bring Cosmo to a game or two….." he added as she turned to walk away. "It's going to be a good season." Susan nodded and waved as she hurried toward the door. What was Susie thinking to leave them alone like that? Susan had a good idea and her niece was due for a stern talking to.

David watched her walk away and then studied the drawing hanging on the wall next to him. The one labeled 'In Cosmo's house...' It was just like all of the others with the exception of the faces in the clouds. He had been trhough Cosmo's file...just like he had gone through all of the other new students'. It was intriguing. Very intriguing indeed...


	5. Chapter 5 Porch Talk

Abby pushed open the door and eased her way out onto the front porch of the duplex. Susan looked up from her seat on the wicker couch and smiled.

"I brought you some tea," Abby said as she carried two mugs across the darkening porch and handed one to Susan. "It's a little nippy out here." Susan made room from her on the couch and took the steaming mug from her.

"Thank you so much," Susan said as she took a sip. Abby nestled in the opposite corner of the seat and tucked her bare toes under the quilt that was covering Susan. They sat in silence for a few minutes and enjoyed the noises from the neighborhood. Susan sighed.

"Are the kids tucked in bed?" Abby asked.

"Cosmo is," Susan said. "Susie is in a snit up in her room."

"A snit?" Susan nodded and took another sip from her mug.

"She abandoned me at Cosmo's open house with a PE teacher who tried to put the make on me!" Abby's eyes widened and she studied Susan's face.

"Was he……..good looking?" she asked. Susan grimaced. Abby shrugged.

"I'm not….ready… for all of that again," Susan said and looked out into the small front yard. Leaves were beginning to pile up from the trees along the street. Abby watched her intently and then nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "It's probably too soon."

"Way too soon," Susan nodded. She sighed. "Chuck and I were together almost seven years. Seems like a lifetime, you know? God, I spent longer than that getting through medical school."

"Did you ever talk about what you were going to do…you know….after?" Abby asked. Susan nodded slowly. Abby waited for her answer. Susan glanced at her and suppressed a smile.

"He wanted me to swear that I would never have sex with another guy ever again and that I would become a cloistered nun when Cosmo leaves for college." Abby's mouth dropped open and then she began to laugh quietly when she saw the twinkle in Susan's eyes.

"And then he made me promise to find some nice guy that would be able to fix things around the house and keep the young studs away from Susie and ….." Susan sighed. She wiped her eyes with a corner of the quilt and Abby reached over to take her hand.

"And help me raise his son to be a good and kind man." Her voice quavered as she finished. Susan sighed as her eyes filled with tears.

"I miss him. Abby," she said. "I really miss him." Abby nodded and just held on as Susan leaned her head back and tried not to cry.

"I think we all do," Abby said softly. 'I keep waiting for the telephone to ring so he can tell me another word he made up for my Monopoly vocabulary list." Susan chuckled.

"He loved teasing you about that," she said. Abby nodded.

"It probably kept him up nights…" she said.

"Probably," Susan chuckled. She sighed deeply and looked across the couch at her friend. Abby was watching her worriedly.

"Are you working tomorrow?" she asked. Susan shook her head.

"No," she said. "I'm done at the clinic."

"I wish you would come and talk to someone at County," Abby pleaded. "We could use you again." Susan shook her head took her hand from Abby's.

"No," she chuckled. "I made my peace with County a long time ago. I may not know what I want to do yet but I definitely know what I don't want to do." She shifted herself on the couch and drained the tea from her mug. They both looked up as a car pulled into the driveway. Abby swung her legs off the couch and watched as Luka turned the car off and got out. He swung a jacket over his shoulders and locked the door as he approached the front steps.

"Hey," he said as he climbed the steps and pressed a kiss to Abby's forehead. "Feeling better?" Susan watched with a slight frown as Abby nodded.

"How was your shift?" Abby asked as Luka dropped into the chair across the porch from them.

"Not busy," he said. "Plenty of time to play some jokes."

"Ah, you've matured, I see," Susan said dryly. Luka chuckled.

"Susan went to an Open House at Cosmo's school," Abby said.

"And I finally met the esteemed Cameron," Susan added. Luka's eyes narrowed and he snarled.

"He is a very nice little boy," Susan laughed. Luka nodded.

"Right…." he replied. He stood up and opened the door to their living room.

"I'm going to go kiss the sleeping princess and take a shower," he said.

"I'll be in shortly," Abby smiled. He winked at her and went inside.

"Good night," Susan called after him as he waved. She turned and looked shrewdly at Abby.

"What?" Abby chuckled. Susan continued to study her.

"Okay…Okay," Abby sighed wearily. "We're trying to get pregnant." Susan grinned and reached across the quilt to hug her.

"That's great," she said.

"Well, it was always part of the plan," Abby said. "It's why we were looking for a bigger place and found this one and we loved the neighborhood and thought we'd never be able to swing it and decided that there were only a few people we could handle living this close to….."

"And Luka sent me the email……" Susan said.

"And we were so happy you would even consider it." Abby's voice trailed off.

"So how is it going?" Susan asked.

"It's not," Abby sighed. 'It's frustrating." Susan chuckled.

"But oh so much fun trying…." Abby grinned and then their smiles faded as they drifted off into separate thoughts. Susan drained the mug in her hand and then sighed.

"I think I am going to go to bed," she said. '"I'm not working tomorrow but I have to go to Susie's curriculum night tomorrow night. I'm going to try to see her counselor before hand and…..what a mess. The man is avoiding me." Abby chuckled and helped gather up the quilt and took the empty mug from Susan.

"I think I'm going to stay out here for a little while longer," she said as she settled back on the couch.

"Yeah," Susan nodded. "Let that Croatian Sensation of your's get that bed good and warm for you." Abby chuckled and watched as Susan made her way into the door of her home. She leaned back and traced her fingers around the top of the mug in her hands. A car went by on the street and she smiled a bit as she listened the noises of the neighborhood settling down for the night.


	6. Chapter 6 Curriculum Night

It was all she could do to keep from slamming the counseling office door behind her as she left. Had they even LOOKED at Susie's records? Apparently not. She was seething as she made her way through the hallway toward the front doors of the high school. She had spent the last hour going to each of Susie's classes for an abbreviated version of her school day. At each one she became more and more appalled at how inadequate the school's tenth grade curriculum was for Susie's needs. She was capable of so much more. Susan had gone to the counseling office to see where they were on finding room for her in the advanced placement classes. She'd waited for a while before someone could see her and then had been met with basic indifference and fumbling through a stack of student files before finding Susie's. Six weeks into the school year and they still hadn't evaluated her file. Susie hadn't said a word. Surely she was missing her old school? Well, maybe not the uniforms but the classes?? Susan knew why Susie hadn't said anything and the reason nearly broke her heart. Susie wanted to move to Chicago because Susan wanted to do it. Well, she was going to have to find a way to make it right for Susie too. Lost in thought she absently pushed open the front doors and stepped aside from someone coming in only to bump into him.

"Sorry," she murmured and looked up into the face of the man she had met at Cosmo's school. His PE teacher, wasn't it? David Burns. He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder and steady her.

"My fault entirely," he said. "I saw you headed this way and you look like you are ready to duke it out with a dragon."

"I might have to," Susan sighed. "How long does it take to get someone's attention around here?"

"Depends on who you are talking about," David drawled playfully. "A plate of homemade cookies in the lounge with get most everyone's attention. But you've already got mine." Susan rolled her eyes.

"You are really not very good at this," she said.

"At what?" His dark eyebrows raised innocently. "Tell me what the problem is. I'll try to help." Susan grimaced and shook her head as she tried to move past him.

"How about talking about it over a cup of coffee?" he asked as he stepped in front of her again.

"I don't think so," she said. "I've got to get home."

"Aw, come on," he wheedled. "I know a little place right down the street from here. I stop by for dinner on the way home from practice sometimes and….."

"Look," Susan interrupted. "I lost my husband last spring after a very short and very difficult winter. I am dealing with my son and my niece who were left reeling from that event let alone the fact that I moved them lock, stock and barrel away from their friends and their activities and their….damn…good schools in Iowa to come here because I thought it was what we all needed and now I am not so sure about that. I know that you are a very nice man but I am just not ready to deal with anything else."

"It's just coffee," David said quietly. ""And maybe banana cream pie. You like banana cream, right? Everybody likes banana cream……or maybe lemon meringue?" Susan sighed heavily and forced a smile to her lips.

"I'm sorry…..but no," she said. She turned around and started down the steps.

"Everyone thinks the first year is the hardest." Susan stopped and turned her head to glance back at the man standing at the school door. David eyes met her's and he shrugged.

"It's actually the second," he said. "By the second year everyone else has moved on and they expect that you have too. They forget. So, the second year is actually the hardest." He slipped the baseball cap back on his head and shrugged.

"Just my two cents…" He turned around and went back inside the school. Susan stared after him thoughtfully for a long moment and then headed toward the school's parking lot and her car.

Susie was waiting up for her when she walked in the front door.

"Pretty lame, huh?" she said. Susan dropped her coat and purse on the staircase steps and sat on the couch and gazed at her niece thoughtfully.

"What are we going to do about this?" she asked. Susie's brow wrinkled and she pulled her strawberry blonde curls loose from the pony tail on the back of her head. She ran her fingers through the thick hair she shared with Susan and shrugged.

"Celebrate the fact that I will have the highest grade point average in my class?" she mused. Susan rolled her eyes.

"It's not that bad, Aunt Susan," Susie grinned. "I needed a semester to establish myself socially in Chicago and this is it.' She shifted herself on the couch and straightened her shoulders. "Every football player on the varsity AND junior varsity team know who I am and I am not even a cheerleader. I am going to audition for the Drama Club next week. They're going to do 'Anne Frank' this winter and I really want a part in that. And I might try to see if I can get on the school newspaper."

"Every player?' Susan choked. Susie grinned. 

"I eat at their lunch table so we can go through their Math homework," she said. "You should just see the looks I get from the kids. Definitely adding to the popularity component." Susan studied Susie's face again.

"Okay," she said finally. "I'll let this slide for this semester but if they don't get you in at least three AP classes next semester….." She shook her head. Susie grinned and stood up. She leaned over to kiss Susan's cheek and carried her books toward the stairs to her bedroom.

"You'll probably be tutoring the hockey team by then," Susan sighed. Susie stopped on the steps and turned.

"Well, actually…" she said to the back of Susan's head. "Three hockey players also play football so I guess I've already started that."

"Oh…." Susan said in feigned brightness. "That's just great….." Susie giggled and hurried up the stairs. Susan listened for her steps and smiled. She was a good kid. Damn good, as Chuck would say. Susan had been lucky. Given the early start in life her niece had had, she could be a much different person than she was. She reached for the remote control and turned on the television. She flipped through channels aimlessly for a moment and then turned the television off. Her thoughts took her through the events of the night and rested on a certain gentleman who had invited her for coffee. She shook her head. If only the timing were different.


	7. Chapter 7 First Date

_disclaimer: Don't own it or them...just borrow them on occasion_

Susan studied Susie's outfit and then nodded approvingly. The black jacket looked great with the red polo shirt and her gray slacks were perfect.

"You look great," she said. "Got your cell phone?' Susie nodded.

"And Luka gave me a twenty dollar bill this afternoon in case I need to get a cab home," she said as she rolled her eyes. "I'll give it back to him in the morning. He was just being nice."

"And a little over protective," Susan laughed as she slipped an arm across Susie's shoulders. She kissed her cheek as they headed toward the front porch door.

"Your first real solo date," Susan sighed. "Have a wonderful time and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Which gives me a whole lot of room to work with, right?" Susie said playfully. Susan locked her arm around Susie's neck and squeezed it tight as she kissed her again.

"Go on," she said. "Get out of here. You don't want to be late for the movie." Jake stood up quickly from his perch on the wicker chair. He glanced warily from Luka's smiling face to Henry's grin. He swallowed hard and then glanced quickly at Susie. She turned around for his approval.

"Nice," the boy said quickly and gestured toward the steps. "My dad is waiting."

Susan smiled as she watched the two teenagers head toward the car parked in the driveway. She waved to Jake's dad behind the driving wheel and then frowned a bit as Jake shook Susie's hand from his and opened the front passenger door for her. He said something inaudible and Susie's head lifted sharply. She glanced back toward the porch with a scowl on her face. Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head warningly as Jake waited for her to slide into the front seat next to his dad. He shut the door and waved as he climbed in the back seat and buckled his seat belt. Susan watched the car leave thoughtfully and then turned to study the two men sitting in the wicker furniture on the porch. Luke was grinning at a giggling Lauren who was riding his knee as he bounced her up and down. Her dad was watching them and chuckled.

"What did you say to him?" she asked slowly. Her father looked at her innocently.

"Dad…." Susan drawled as Abby opened the door and stepped onto the porch.

"Are they gone?" she asked. Susan's eyes did not move from her father's face as she nodded.

"Tell me what you were doing…." Susan asked again.

"Nothing," her father said innocently.

"Practicing," Luka said at the same time as he wrapped his arms around Lauren and drew her into a bear hug. She squealed as Luka buried a kiss in the folds of her neck and growled.

"What?" Abby said as Susan's head dropped to her chest.

"Oh, do NOT tell me that you fed him that story about being a machine gunner on a battle ship during the war and how they let you bring the gun home and it's stashed in your attic." Luka snickered and glanced toward Susan's father who was smiling satisfactorily as he sat back in his chair. Susan groaned.

"It's not even true!" she cried. "Besides, he's a nice kid, Dad."

"He's a teenager," her dad snorted.

"And he's with Susie who has a good head on her shoulders."

"She's a teenager," he replied firmly. Abby lifted Lauren from Luka's lap.

"What were you practicing for?" she asked as she settled the little girl on her hip. Henry Lewis shook his head as Luka shrugged and exchanged glances with him.

"Luka," Abby asked again. Luka sighed heavily and leaned back as he looked up at her and the little girl in her arms.

"I..uh…just told him about my….uh…training to be a sniper when I was in the Croatian army." Abby frowned in confusion and then followed his adoring gaze to Lauren. Susan rolled her eyes as Abby finally realized what they had been talking about.

"She's going to hate you for that story some day," Susan said. She turned to her father.

"Do NOT pull that stunt on another one of Susie's dates," she said as she shook her finger at him. "That is if she ever gets another date after tonight. You will probably scare all of them away. Geez, Dad!"

"I thought you were planning to put this one in an all girl prep school," Abby said with a frown as she brushed a strand of dark hair back into Lauren's pony tail.

"And then an all girl college," Luka said flatly and reached up to take her from Abby. He blew a wet kiss on Lauren's tummy. She squealed again and Abby shook her head.

"No pimply faced teenager is gonna get his hands on MY little girl," Luka declared with a laugh. Susan's dad nodded seriously and Abby shook her head and chuckled as she exchanged glances with Susan. Cosmo pushed open the screen door and waved a plastic dump truck at Lauren.

"Lauren…." he wheedled. "Wanna play with me?" Lauren cast big eyes toward Cosmo and squirmed down from Luka's grasp. She tripped confidently across the porch to the open door and took the truck from Cosmo. They disappeared inside. Luka's mouth dropped open.

"You're just going let her go like that?" he said. Abby laughed.

"Not the first time a girl has been won over with a really good truck," Susan snickered. Abby nudged her reproachfully with a slight grin.

"Luka, they're playing with cars. Besides, she's only three," she said.

"And in ten more years she will be thirteen," Luka said. "She's too young to be…dating." He frowned and went to the door of Susan's living room to see what the two little ones were doing. Abby rolled her eyes and Susan patted her back sympathetically.

"You have a long….sad….road ahead of you," she sighed and Abby grinned. They both laughed and watched the disgruntled father with a smile.

As the movie's final credits began to roll, Susie gathered up her empty soda cup and the nearly empty popcorn container. Jake followed her to the multiplex' busy lobby and they tossed the refuse into a trash bin.

"My dad's movie still has about a half hour to go," Jake said as he glanced at his watch. He thrust his hands into his pockets and looked around.

"Do you want to play some video games or something?" Susie shook her head and then tipped it toward an empty bench near the coming attractions posters. They sat down and Jake shifted himself uncomfortably. He cleared his throat.

"Did you like the movie?" Susie nodded. They were silent for a long moment.

"I'm sorry you didn't get the part you wanted in the play," Jake said. "I'm not the only one that thought you had a better audition." Susie shrugged.

"Danielle is a senior," she said. "It's her last year so I understand. I'm perfectly happy working backstage." Jake nodded.

"I was surprised when you showed up actually," he said. "I didn't think that drama club was your thing." Susie looked at him in confusion.

"My…thing?" she said.

"Well you're always hanging with the athletic types," he explained. "And you told them we were going out tonight." She laughed.

"I see….." She shrugged again. "It's not like I am dating any of them or anything. They're my friends."

"Maybe a little more than friends….." he sighed. "Brett, Steve and Rory kinda cornered me in the hall yesterday. They told me that they know where you live and where I live so I better be very careful if I decided to hang around you for any length of time." Susie stared at him for a moment and then giggled.

"Don't worry about them," she said with a smile. "They mean well but they over react sometimes." Jake watched her as she shook her head and then he smiled.

"So you're not really a total jock groupie?" Susie laughed and shook her head.

"I'm not really sure what I am," she said. "I guess I am just….me." Jake grinned and nodded.

"That's so cool," he said. They gazed at one another shyly for a moment and then Jake leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Susie's eyes searched his for a moment when they parted. They grinned at one another. She reached over and laced her fingers through his on his knee.

Susan and Abby were sitting at the table with the Monopoly board set up in front of them when Susie came in the front door.

"Hey…how did it go?" Susan asked. "Wanna finish this game with us?" Susie shook her head and wordlessly slipped her jacket from her shoulders. Abby studied the girl shrewdly and then a smile teased the corners of her lips.

"He kissed her," she said softly. Susan stood up and moved toward Susie with a frown.

"Did you have a good time?" Susie nodded slowly and kissed Susan's cheek before heading up the stairs to her room. Susan moved to the staircase and watched her retreat up the steps.

"Susie?" she said insistently.

"Good night, Aunt Susan," the girl replied from the top of the steps.

"He kissed her all right…" Abby chuckled as she traded some letter tiles from her collection with the extra letters on the table. Susan winced as she heard Susie's bedroom door shut and then let her head drop to her hands on the stair case.

"Oh…..I am SO dead," she sighed wearily. Abby laughed and shook her head.


	8. Chapter 8 Football Frenzy

Susan held Cosmo's hand and cast anxious eyes over the faces in the bleachers of the high school football field. She saw Susie sitting near the top with friends and waved. Susie grinned and waved back, not budging from her seat. Susan sighed and tipped her head to a free expanse of bleacher space.

"Is this okay?" she asked as she turned her head. Abby nodded as she guided Lauren and juggled the thermos bottle her other hand and a blanket over her shoulder. Susan laughed and took the little girl from her and spread her own blanket on the worn wooden bench. She settled Cosmo and Lauren between them and helped Abby cover them all with her blanket.

"It's freezing," Abby laughed as she adjusted the mittens on her daughter's hands. "I don't know how they can be out there like that!" Susan nodded in agreement and studied the cheerleaders in the running track in front of the bleachers. Bare legged in short skirts and sweaters. Things hadn't changed that much. She shivered and tucked the blanket around her hip and then checked Cosmo's hat and mittens. He was grinning happily and watching the JV football game in it's last few minutes. They were losing……by a lot it seemed. But Cosmo didn't seem to notice.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Abby said over the cheers from the crowd.

"I know," Susan grinned ruefully. "Seemed like a good idea when we decided last night." Abby looked up and then reached out a gloved hand to catch something.

"Is that a snowflake?" Susan looked up and shrugged. It had been a long time since she had been to a football game. It was actually kind of fun. The bleachers were filling fast. The high school band played from their seats. The smell of hot dogs and hot chocolate permeated the air. Her fingers closed around the cup of cocoa that Abby handed her from their thermos. The first sip burned her tongue and she blew on the steam to cool it off. She could not stop grinning. This was fun. Then she saw him.

He was standing at the end of the player's bench and whipped off his knit cap. He ran his fingers through his dark hair and shook his head. He turned around to say something to a player sitting on the bench and scanned the faces in the crowd behind them. His eyes locked on her's and she actually blushed. He grinned a bit and waved. Susan tipped her head and pretended not to notice. She tucked the blanket around Cosmo and Lauren again.

"It is," Abby said in amazement. "It's actually snowing!" Susan laughed and took another sip of cocoa.

"Mama…..mama, see?" Lauren tugged at Abby's hand and tried to climb into her lap. Lauren pointed to the girls running through another cheer in front of them. Abby's eyes widened a bit.

"Cheerleaders….," she choked a bit as she noticed the smile on Lauren's face. The little girl clapped her hands with them. Abby rolled her eyes.

"Debate Club is good, Lauren," she said. "And soccer. Wanna be a soccer player? Tata would love it if you did." Lauren continued to watch the cheerleaders as they ran through an enthusiastic routine that resulted in a three person high pyramid. Abby watched the little girl's face and then sighed miserably.

"Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea after all," she said to Susan. Susan laughed as she saw Lauren's rosy red face riveted on the cheerleaders. She looked around again. Susie was laughing at something in the middle of her crowd. She looked so happy….so comfortable with them. It actually warmed Susan's heart.

"Does this take you back to high school, or what?" Susan sighed as she glanced over at Abby.

"I wasn't a football fan," Abby said. "I was more into lacrosse, remember? We hardly ever had a crowd at those games." Cosmo jumped up and pulled the blanket off all of them as the marching band moved to the field.

"Cos!" Susan scolded as she pulled it back and then grinned. They were loud and colorful and she could see why he was so taken with them. Abby settled Lauren on her lap and wrapped the blanket around them. Lauren was all eyes for the band as well. She nestled into her mother's lap and grinned. Susan was smiling and loving the whole thing and she saw him headed across the front of the bleachers and up the steps toward them. She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she watched him stop to talk to kids and parents on the way.

"What's the matter?" Abby asked as she saw the grim look on Susan's face. She followed her gaze and then sat back a little in understanding. It must be him. The infamous David Burns. PE teacher and coach. Abby's eyes flew from one face to the other as he made his way toward them.

"Hi," he said as he stopped next to their spot on the bleachers. "You made it to our last game I see." Susan forced a smile and nodded. He waited expectantly and finally held out a hand to Abby.

"David Burns," he said with a grin. "And you are?"

"Abby," she said as she shook his hand. He nodded and glanced back toward Susan.

"We lost," he said. Susan nodded nonchalantly.

"We know…." Cosmo said sadly. David grinned and tweaked Cosmo's nose.

"Wanna come down to the bench and meet the team?" he asked. Cosmo turned to his mother with hopeful smile. Susan grimaced and nodded.

"Okay…." She said. Cosmo threw himself at her for a hug and then climbed over the bench and Lauren and Abby to the aisle. He grabbed David's hand and tugged. David grinned.

"I'll bring him back at the end of the first quarter," he said. Susan nodded.

"You're still not very good at this," she said as they moved away. David grinned.

"Gotta give me a few points for persistence," he shrugged. Susan shook her head and Abby grinned.

"He's not so bad," Abby said. "He's kind of cute. Nice butt."

"Abby!" Susan scolded. Someone behind her nudged her shoulder.

"There is a whole crew of us that would agree with that statement," the woman behind her said. "Coach Burns is a certifiable hottie. I'm Karen Mitchell by the way. My son is number 14 down there and my daughter is the third cheerleader on the right."

"Susan Lewis," she responded. "My niece is sitting up in the nosebleed section with her friends." Karen grinned and glanced back in the direction Susan indicated.

"Ah yes….Susie," she said. "She is teaching my Craig to sit up and pay attention in his geometry class. I definitely owe her." Susan grinned. She looked back toward the game and smiled a little as she saw Cosmo making his way down the players' bench on David's shoulders. The high school boys were slapping his mittened hand and he was grinning from ear to ear as David kept a running dialog with the boys.

"We were talking about his nice butt?" Abby continued. Karen laughed.

"He is such a sweet guy and a great coach," she said. "I was actually disappointed when Craig moved up to the varsity squad. Kind of a tragedy there though."

"Oh swell….just what I need," Susan muttered. "More tragedy in my life…." Abby cast rueful glance in her direction and then smiled at Karen.

"Like what kind of tragedy?" she asked. Karen shrugged.

"Oh, the 'finished college got a teaching job married high school sweetheart ovarian cancer kind of tragedy," she said. Susan's face fell a little as she watched David go down the line of players on the bench holding Cosmo's hand. The high school boys were high fiveing her son and he was clearly in little boy heaven. She smiled as David slipped a too big helmet on his head and stood him up on the end of the bench so they could watch the start of the game. Susan glanced over at Abby and laughed out loud. Abby was watching Lauren's face in dismay. She was mesmerized by the cheerleaders and their routine.

"Hey, I know what Lauren is getting from Christmas from me…" she singsonged. "I might even be able to find one with matching pompoms." Abby looked at her with a scowl.

"You wouldn't dare," she said. Susan laughed.

"Of course, I would," she replied happily. "I am Aunt Susan and Aunt Susans are supposed to make dreams come true…..especially if Mommys and Daddys won't." Abby shook her head.

"Well, just remember that I am Cosmo's Aunt Abby and paybacks can be hell…" Her head turned just in time to see the knees of the cheerleader on the bottom of the tri-level pyramid buckle and the tower of girls went crashing to the ground.

"Oh my god……" Susan cried just as the roar started from the crowd. The two of them stood up and hurried down the short flight of steps to the rail and slipped under it to the blacktopped track area that ran around the football field. Abby thrust a screaming Lauren toward David and then knelt with Susan to assess the girls that had fallen. David sat on the bench with the little girl in his lap and watched as coaches and parents and Abby and Susan made quick assessments of the injuries. He felt Cosmo sitting next to him and heard the little boy murmuring to the crying toddler in his lap.

"It's okay, Lauren," he was saying calmly as he patted her back. "Our mommies are helping."

"I'll take her now," Susie said as she came to his side and lifted a struggling and screaming Lauren from his lap. David nodded and stood up. He hurried to Susan's side as she and Abby were working on the worst of the two injured with a first aid pack someone had given them.

"We need ambulances here…now!" she said as she wrapped tape around a roll of towels they had made into a brace for the girl's neck. Abby was talking into her cell phone.

"Luka, it's Abby and we're at the football game….." she said as she held the cell phone to her shoulder and continued to hold a clearly broken arm steady. "There was an accident with the cheerleaders and we've got a closed head injury, broken bones, a shoulder dislocation……no, Susan is here with me. Okay. I know.….okay." Abby looked up and her eyes met Susan's. "I know. County is closer." Susan nodded grimly and pulled open the eye lids of the girl she was taking care of. She looked up at David and then away as she heard the nearing scream of the ambulance's sirens. She was clearly relieved as the door burst open and the paramedics emerged.

"Zadro!" she called. "Over here….."

"Dr. Lewis!," the paramedic grinned. "What 'cha got for me?" Susan stepped back as the paramedics went to work and she followed the gurney to the ambulance. She glanced back toward the bench and nodded as she saw Susie sitting close to Cosmo with Lauren in her lap. Susie waved slightly and her arms tightened around Lauren as she started screaming anew when Abby pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and then followed a second gurney and climbed in to the second ambulance. The doors slammed shut and two of the ambulances squealed away making room for another one on the field. David moved to Susie's side and touched her shoulder.

"Want me to take you home now?" he asked. Susie jostled Lauren in her arms and nodded.


	9. Chapter 9 Aftermath

It was like some kind of eerie ride in a time capsule. The back doors of the ambulance flew open and Susan glanced out into the all too familiar ambulance bay. Luka was waiting with a team of nurses, interns and med students as the gurney was pulled out and pushed toward the doors.

"Take her to trauma 3," he directed as Susan stepped down and followed the gurney. "Sam, Chuny….Dr. Lewis is in charge. Abby's patient is crashing."

"What?" Susan exclaimed as she hurried beside the gurney. Luka's concerned eyes met hers and he shrugged. Susan's patient had been the more critical one on the field. The second ambulanced pulled up to the doors and Susan's attention was diverted to her own patient. She rattled off the list of tests she wanted as Sam squeezed the ambu bag attached to the tube that had been inserted by the paramedics.

"And call for a CT….now," Susan ordered as someone shoved a yellow disposable gown over her clothes. "Then see if someone from neurology will be available for a consult." Chuny nodded and crossed to the telephone in the trauma room. Susan took a second to look around. A med student was busy assisting Sam with vitals and an intern was inserting another IV line. It worked like a well oiled machine. When did that happen? Sam glanced toward her and smiled.

"Welcome back, Dr. Lewis," she said. Susan couldn't help but return the smile. Surprisingly, it felt good.

She saw him sitting on the porch in the dark as she paid the cab driver and walked up the sidewalk. He was wrapped in a quilt and stretched out on the wicker love seat.

"Hey," he said sleepily and straightened as she climbed the front steps. "Where's your friend?" he asked.

"Sleeping in the call room at the hospital," she said. "She has a shift in a couple of hours. What are you doing out here? Susie is fine with them. She baby sits." David shrugged.

"I was waiting for you," he said. "I wanted to make sure you got home all right and to see how the girls were doing." Susan dropped into a chair and absently lifted her feet to the love seat where he was sitting.

"It was a damn close call for them," she said. "Abby had a scare when an asthma attack kicked in on the ambulance ride. They'll be sore for a long while but they'll be fine." She stretched her neck back and sighed heavily.

"I am exhausted." David pulled the quilt from around him and tucked it over her feet and legs. Susan smiled and studied him. He grinned shyly.

"And how was it being back in the ER?" he asked. "Susie filled me in a little bit. She said you left a position there a while ago." Susan nodded slowly.

"Yeah…..Chief of Emergency Medicine. Can't get much higher than that," she took a deep breath. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Kind of fun actually. Some of the same people are still there…nurses…. aides…orderlies. It was nice to be part of that team again." David nodded.

"Thank you for bringing the kids….and my car…. home safely," she said as she nodded her head toward the car parked in front of his in the driveway. He shrugged.

"I had some help. Susie found the keys to your car in your bag. One of the boys drove it home for me. Cost me one hot fudge sundae and his cab fare home." He tipped his dark head toward the door.

"And all three of them are tucked in safely and sleeping soundly in Susie's bed." Susan laughed.

"It's not the first time," she chuckled. He nodded.

"I figured as much when Cosmo dragged a Princess nightie out of his pajama drawer," he said. Susan chuckled and then their eyes met again.

"You are one lucky lady, Dr. Susan Lewis," he said as he slipped out from under the quilt they shared. He stood up and hesitated a moment and then pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"Get some sleep," he said quietly as he went down the steps and rounded the front of the car that was parked behind hers in the driveway. Susan watched him pull out in the dawning light and rolled her eyes. He was so nice.

David was the farthest thing from her mind when she adjusted the small round glasses on Cosmos' face and buttoned the cape at his neck.

"Okay, Harry," she said. "The deal is ten houses and then you come back here for popcorn and a movie."

"Ten?" Cosmo whined. "Why not more, Mommy? There's lots more houses on this street. Not like our old house." Lauren nodded so vigorously that the purple witch hat on her head bobbed off onto the sidewalk. Susie laughed and picked it up off the ground and settled it back on the little girl's dark head. She took hold of her hand and then grabbed Cosmo's.

"Come on, Jake" she said over her shoulder. "There is some serious candy collecting to be done. What are we going to say now?"

"Trick or treat," 'Harry Potter' trilled as he tripped along side Susie.

"Tank you!" Lauren the good little witch chimed after him. Jake pulled a werewolf mask down over his face and followed them down the sidewalk swinging two plastic pumpkin buckets in his hands. Susan watched them go with a smile on her face. She sighed and settled herself on the front steps next to the glowing pumpkins. She dragged her fingers through the basket of candy that Abby had filled for her to pass out. She glanced about and listened to the excited shouts coming from the street. The sweetly acrid smell of candles and pumpkins permeated the chill air. Not altogether different from past Halloweens except that Chuck would have gone way overboard decorating the front of the house. Black lights. Gigantic spider webs. Glow in the dark eyes everywhere. He always did a bang up job. And he took particular delight in dressing up so he could scare the crap out of every little kid that approached….only to reward them with handfuls of candy. Last year he had been a scarecrow. He had even managed to scare her last year when she came home from a late shift at the hospital. She hadn't even noticed the stuffed scarecrow in the porch rocker until he reached out and grabbed her as she unlocked the front door. She had very nearly wet her pants and he had loved it. And he had a wonderful time making it up to her later. 'We're off see the Wizard' he'd laughed quietly as he prodded her up the stairs and into their bedroom. She'd taken his costume off and worn some ruby red slippers just for him. Susan hugged herself and sighed. Damn. Was this what it was going to be like from now on? Remembering and comparing every single holiday? Every single day? She straightened and pulled the candy basket into her lap as a pumpkin, an angel and a yellow Transformer approached from the street.

"Trick or treat!" they cried and held out bags.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed as she handed candy to them. "What great costumes you have!"

Luka pushed open the door with his elbow and stopped when he saw her sitting on the edge of their bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he set the stack of clean, folded laundry on the dresser. He sat next to her and saw the plastic stick in her hand. His eyes widened a bit and he took it from her…..and the next one she handed him and the next one and the next one.

"I don't understand something," he said as he looked at all of them in his hand. "When there is one line you just do one. But when there are two lines you do more. Why is that?" Abby shrugged.

"Just making sure," she said. He nodded and then turned to look at her.

"And are you sure now?" he asked. She nodded.

"Reasonably sure." His eyes met hers and a slow smile spread across his lips. He glanced down at the sticks and counted them.

"So….four positives means we are having four babies?" he teased. Abby fell back on the bed.

"In your dreams maybe," she scoffed. "I will settle for just one pressing against my bladder seven months from now." Luka grinned and tossed the test sticks over his shoulder. He unbuttoned the last button on her blouse and slipped his fingers inside to caress the warm skin of her belly. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss near her navel and then murmured something quietly in Croatian. Abby grinned and drew her fingers through his hair to the back of his neck. He chuckled and slid up on the bed next to her. Their eyes met and they both started giggling.

"How long do you think Susie will keep the kids trick or treating?" he murmured as he pressed a kiss somewhere near her ear.

"I don't know," she said quietly and tipped her head to give him easier access to her neck. "They just left a little bit ago."

"So we have about an hour……"

"Maybe," she sighed. "Unless our pagers go off."

"Bite your tongue, woman," he scolded and raised himself up to unbutton the rest of her blouse. Abby's brown eyes never left his face as he worked. She slipped her hands up his ribs inside his shirt. He groaned and pulled his shirt over his head.

"You know, we don't really have to do this any more," she said as he pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. "I mean, the deed is already done, right?" Luka frowned slightly and pushed himself back to a sitting position.

"You're right," he said. "I have to get something from Home Depot any…." She grabbed his hand.

"Come back here!" she squealed. Luka laughed and dropped onto the bed beside her.

"Trick or treat?" he asked playfully.

"Oh…treat," Abby sighed as her arms encircled his neck drawing him closer. "Definitely treat."


	10. Chapter 10 Thanksgiving

He came awake slowly when he heard the pelting sounds of icy rain against the bedroom window. He shifted slightly and refused to open his eyes. It was cozy and warm under the sheets and down comforter on their bed. They were spooned against one another, her back nestled against his chest, her hips pressed into his. He settled his chin gently against the top of her head and drew in a slow breath so as not to waken her. His hand was resting in the familiar place over her rounding lower belly under the cami she wore to sleep. The tips of his fingers dipped just barely under the elastic of her pajama pants. A slow smile began to creep across his face as he tried to match her rhythmic breathing and felt her heart beating against his bare chest. This was bliss. Pure and unadulterated bliss. For that he was thankful.

Luka's eyes opened as he heard the bedroom door opening. A tiny sprite in a purple sleeper stood there with her feet crossed, one hand on the door knob and the other on her hip. He lifted his head and held up the comforter a bit, an invitation their three year old daughter usually relished. It was his opportunity for a few more minutes of sleep as they snuggled together in the morning - the three of them. Today, however, she shook her head and frowned.

"Hungry, Tata," she wheedled. "I eat now?" Luka grumbled a bit and then eased himself out of his warm cocoon and tucked the sheets against his wife's back. He slipped into the robe that had been tossed on the bed post the night before and circled the end of the bed.

"Okay, baby," he sighed. "Pancakes today….orange juice and maybe some eggs and bacon?"

"Kitty cat pancakes!" Lauren cried happily as she jumped up and down. There was moan from the bed and the covers were swept aside. Luka scooped the little girl to safety in his arms as Abby pushed past and raced toward the bathroom. He grimaced as he heard the toilet seat slam and the wretching that quickly followed. He glanced at Lauren's wide eyes and the finger that had made its way into her mouth. He grinned and pressed a mushy kiss to her cheek and jostled her until she giggled. He carried her to the bathroom door and grimaced again as Abby vomited once more.

"Anything I can do?" he asked. She didn't lift her head from the toilet and waved them away with her hand.

"Okay," he said apologetically. "I'll make you some tea." With that he turned in the hall and headed down the stairs bouncing his daughter in his arms and humphing a cheerful Croatian song.

Abby waited a while and then stood up from the floor where she had been resting. She cleaned and flushed the toilet bowl and then brushed her teeth. She stared at herself in the mirror for a long moment and then turned to survey her profile. She lifted her cami and lowered the pajama pants to study the rounding of her belly. Damn. It was true. She was much bigger than she had been the first time at this point. She wouldn't be able to avoid the maternity jeans in the bottom of her closet much longer. Damn. She made her way wearily back into the bedroom and crept into the mustled mass of sheets and comforter. She eased her pounding head back onto the pillow and sighed. What in the name of heaven would make anyone willingly want to put her body through this again? Her eyes drifted shut as she dozed off into a wary sleep but only for a moment. She opened one eye and then the other and grinned slightly at the worried little face that peered over the edge of the mattress at her. Straight dark brows were drawn together over thickly lashed brown eyes. The pert little nose had the slightest hint of an upturn at the end and the rosebud of a mouth was covered in sticky jam. The loose pony tail that had been put in the night before to keep morning snarls at bay hung at a crazy cockeyed angle. Lauren lifted her sticky fingers and pushed a crumbling cracker toward her mother.

"Feel bettah, Mom?" the little girl asked softly. Abby smiled.

"I do now, sweetie," she said and took the cracker. Lauren watched her sternly as she chewed on it and then smiled happily as Abby lifted the blankets so she could crawl in beside her. Abby pulled her close and Lauren squirmed around until they were spooned and comfortably tucked under the covers. Abby took a deep breath and reveled in the smell of blueberry shampoo and hint of raspberry jam that permeated her nose. She could feel the little girl relaxing and then snoring softly. She had just begun to drift off again herself when Luka sat carefully on the edge of the bed. She opened her eyes and watched as he set a mug of steaming tea on the bedside table and then turned to look down at them. He reached over and smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear and pressed cool fingers against her forehead.

"Better?" he asked. She smiled and nodded as she drew the little girl closer to her.

"I have the turkey out of the refrigerator and ready to stuff with stuffing," he said. "And there's a bean casser….." He stopped when Abby grimaced and held up her hand.

"Not that much better…." she warned. Luka laughed and bent to press a kiss to his sleeping daughter's forehead and then to her lips.

"Go back to sleep," he said. "I'll take care of it." Abby watched him quietly slip into a pair of jeans and tee shirt and then exchanged grins as he left them. She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Lauren was gone when she woke again. Abby could hear voices and the television going downstairs. She looked at her alarm clock and shook her head. She had been sleeping way too long. She sat up and waited for the wave of nausea and was pleasantly surprised when there was none. She picked up her robe and headed for the bathroom again – this time for a shower.

They were all sitting at the big dining room table they had splurged on. Luka had already put in the extensions so it would be big enough for all of them. Luka and Susie were in a hot debate about sweet potato recipes when she made her way down the stairs. Lauren and Cosmo were busy coloring turkeys. Lauren climbed down from her chair for a hug. Luka stopped arguing long enough to accept a kiss from her and then went back to arguing and chopping pecans. She sat down at the table and held Lauren on her lap.

"Lauren can read now," Cosmo said as he searched through the tub of crayons for the color he wanted. Abby studied her daughter in surprise and Lauren smiled as she nodded.

"Can she now?" Cosmo dropped his crayon and slid a handmade book toward Lauren. He got down and circled the end of the table and opened the little book. The first page had a picture of a turkey that had been made with his handprint. The word 'turkey' was written underneath.

"What's this word, Lauren?" he asked as his finger traced under the letters.

"Turkey……" Lauren replied obediently. She grinned at Abby as Cosmo turned the page.

"And this one?" Lauren studied the picture.

"Corn….." she drawled. She grinned again and then watched Cosmo turn to the last page in the little book.

"Turkey inna corn!" she crowed. Abby laughed and hugged her close and then drew Cosmo into their hug as well.

"You keep this up and we won't have to send her to Kindergarten," Abby laughed. Cosmo batted his eyes proudly and went back to his seat.

"He worked on that book all morning," Susie said with a smile. "And he made hats for all of us to wear too."

"Nice," Abby nodded. 'No prodding from you, eh?" Susie grinned.

"Well, maybe a little," she said. "Had to keep him busy after Aunt Susan left for work."

"What time does her shift end?"

"Just in time for dinner," Luka said as he carried the bowl of chopped pecans to the kitchen. "She's picking up some ice cream on her way home."

"Ice cream?" Abby grimaced and played with the French braid that trailed down Lauren's back. Susie must have dressed her. Everything matched. "On Thanksgiving?"

"Peppermint," he said as he stuck his head out of the kitchen and smiled. "Thought it might help settle your stomach." He glanced back into the kitchen.

"Get those marshmallows away from my sweet potatos!" he barked and disappeared after Susie. Abby grinned and turned back to the children at the table.

By the time Susan opened the door the table was set with gleaming silverware and china. Her dad was ensconced with Luka on the couch with beers in hand engrossed in the end of a football game. Cosmo and Lauren raced toward her with a construction paper headband and feathers. She stepped aside and let David into the house.

"Can we set another plate?" she asked. "I would have phoned but my cell battery died."

"Hey Coach!" Susie waved from the kitchen door. Henry Lewis looked up from his seat and then straightened when he saw the man with his daughter.

"Oh, sit back down, Dad," Susan said as she slipped her coat off and took David's from him. "It's just Cosmo's PE teacher…..a friend." She dropped their coats onto the staircase and knelt down to kiss Cosmo and Lauren and wait for them to settle the headband on her.

"David, that's my dad, Henry Lewis," she said. "And that's Luka…and you've met Abby." David nodded in Abby's direction and reached to shake hands with Luka and Henry. Cosmo looked up at him and frowned slightly.

"We need another hat," he said. He thought for a moment and then took the black pilgrim hat from his head. "You can wear mine."

"No…mine!" Lauren crowed as she pulled the boxy gray and white 'girl hat' from her head. Abby and Susan watched as David crouched down and carefully surveyed the two offerings.

"Hmmm…." he said. "Sorry Cosmo, but this one is more my style." He took Lauren's hat and settled it on his head. He grinned as the two of them burst into giggles. They took his hands and dragged him around the end of the couch so he could sit in the available chair. Susan's eyes met Abby's and she took a deep breath.

"Need some help?" she asked as she shifted the bag with ice cream in her hands. Abby nodded as her eyes narrowed.

"Definitely…." she said. Susan followed her into the kitchen where Susie was retrieving another plate and place setting.

"Helping out, kiddo?" Susan asked as she kissed Susie's cheek.

"Always," Susie muttered happily and went into the dining room. Susan opened the freezer and put the ice cream inside. She turned around. Abby stood with her hands on her hips at the sink.

"How did this happen?" she whispered. Susan rolled her eyes and moved closer.

"He was at the market," she said. "I stopped to get ice cream and he was trying to choose a frozen dinner. Now how pathetic is that?"

"Pathetic that you fell for it," Abby chuckled softly. "Do you think that he staked out the grocery store waiting for someone to go in?" Susan's mouth dropped open. She moved to glance through the door where David was playing with Cosmo and Lauren as he tried to watch the game.

"You mean like…stalking? Ewww," she asked incredulously. Abby shrugged.

"Well…maybe in a good way," she whispered. "He likes you…..and you like him. I didn't even know he lived near here. Why would he be at THAT market?"

"God…Abby," Susan groaned. "You have the creepiest mind going."

"Well, it fits," she chuckled. Susan glanced from her to the living room again.

"Oh my god….Abby," Susan groaned again. Abby giggled and looped her arm through Susan's as she handed her a pitcher of milk.

"Come on, dinner's ready," Susie was adding the extra plate to the table and Luka pushed the rolling computer chair to the table. He waited for Abby to sit in it and then pushed her to a spot. He lifted Lauren next to her and sat on the other side. Abby slipped her paper hat to Lauren's head and took her hand. She looked around the table as everyone settled into a chair. It was nice. She slipped a hand under the table to her belly and grinned. Her eyes met Luka's and he smiled and nodded.

'Happy Thanksgiving," he said silently. She took a deep breath and rolled her eyes.


	11. Chapter 11 Peppermint Ice Cream

_This is short because I wanted the last chapter to be primarily Kovac...but something was missing. Hope it doesn't confuse..._

Peppermint ice cream. She scanned the grocery store freezer and couldn't find it. She knelt down to see if there was something on the bottom. That's when she saw him.

David Burns was also scanning the freezer section. He opened a door and pulled out a frozen diner, read the preparation instructions on the back, looked at the picture again and slipped it back on the shelf.

"What's the matter?" Susan said as she read the cover of the dinner he had replaced. "Fiesta Chicken with rice and green beans not tasty enough?" David laughed and shook his head.

"Why aren't you home somewhere gorging on turkey and cranberries and sweet potatoes casserole with toasted marshmallows like the rest of America?" he asked.

"I was working," she said. "What's your excuse?"

"Lack of good company, I guess," he said. "Kind of futile to do the turkey thing for one."

"Do not tell me that a good looking guy like you didn't get an invitation or two?" she scoffed. A rakish grin spread across his face.

"So…you think I am good looking?" She grimaced and shook her head.

"You are a cad…." She chuckled as she walked away shaking her head.

"But a…um….good looking ….cad?" She put her hands on her hips and turned around. He was looking at her with a hopeful smile.

"Just what exactly are you hoping for here?" she asked. David glanced around at the empty aisle lined with freezers and stepped closer to her.

"I was hoping for a friend," he said quietly. "Someone who might understand about waking up at two in the morning and reaching for someone that isn't there. Someone who still keeps a few things in the top dresser drawer and opens it now and then just to see if the smell is still there. Someone who knows what it's like to pitch a carton of butter pecan ice cream in the grocery cart forgetting that you don't like it and she won't be there to eat it." Susan's eyes widened a bit and she took a deep breath.

"You mean Chunky Monkey ice cream," she breathed. David grinned slightly and thrust his hands in his pockets and waited. Susan looked down at the floor and then up at him again.

"Okay…you can come home with me," she said quickly. "Luka and Susie are cooking and you can count your blessings that it's not Abby at the stove." She turned back to the freezer.

"My job is to bring peppermint ice cream home with me…..which I can't find….." Her voice trailed off as she searched again and he pulled a door open. He drew out a brown container with 'Peppermint' printed on the top. She frowned a little and then shook her finger at him.

"It's the brown container," she said. "Peppermint belongs in something pink, wouldn't you say?" He grinned as he tucked the container under his arm like a football and they headed toward the checkout counter.


	12. Chapter 12 Guests

"They're here! They're here!" Abby heard Susie's cries and opened the front door to the porch. She grinned as a car pulled to a stop in the drive and the front door flew open. Susie pulled her cell phone from her ear and shoved it into the front pocket of her sweat shirt as she hurried down the steps and across the lawn. Heather had thrown open the car door and met her half way. The two best friends wrapped each other in a huge hug. Abby shut the door and leaned on the porch railing as Heather's mother got out of the car and smiled at the girls.

"How was your drive?" Abby called.

"Easier than I thought it would be," Beth laughed. "I don't know who I thought would be on the road the day after Thanksgiving." Susie hurried around the car and hugged Beth before opening the back door and dragging the overnight bag form the back seat. Heather hurried up the steps and hugged Abby. Susie followed and the two girls disappeared into Susan's front door talking nonstop. Beth shook her head as she shouldered her own bag, crossed the lawn to the porch and hugged Abby.

"Susan is picking up Cosmo's play date buddy," Abby said.

"I know," Beth chuckled. "The girls have been talking on their cell phones for the last half hour. Either that or texting each other since we left Iowa." She looked around the porch and at the two front doors.

"This is wonderful!" she sighed. Abby shrugged and smiled. She held the door open to Susan's house and followed Beth inside. They could hear the girls talking up stairs.

"How are they doing?" Beth asked as she took off her coat and looked around.

"Surprisingly well," Abby said. "Susie and Cosmo have settled into school……the house is working out….."

"And Susan?" Beth turned to look at her. Abby took a deep breath.

"She has her days…" she said. "Her dad is here. The kids help. I just wish she would find some place to be settled at work. I mean she likes the temporary placements but she doesn't have any roots…you know? Hasn't had a chance to build camaraderie anywhere. " Beth nodded.

"No luck getting her to go back to your hospital?" Abby shook her head.

"Well, we miss them terribly," Beth sighed. "Things are just not the same in the neighborhood without them." They both looked up as the door opened and Cosmo burst inside. He threw himself at Beth and she laughed as she picked him up in a hug.

"You've gotten bigger!" Beth laughed.

"Where's Heather?" he asked as he wiggled down.

"Upstairs," Beth laughed. Cosmo grabbed the hand of a little boy that had followed him in and dragged him up the staircase.

"Cosmo!" Susan called after him. "Don't break Cameron's arm!" She laughed as she dropped a backpack near the door and turned to her friend.

"Beth," she said as she hugged her. "How was the drive? Did you find the house okay?" Beth nodded.

"Thanks to our map quest and Susie's cell phone," she said.

"This is so great," Susan sighed. "Susie has been looking forward to this for weeks."

"Aw….geez...me too," she said as tears stung her eyes and she hugged Beth again. Cosmo and Cameron jumped down the steps and were followed by Susie and Heather. Susan's eyes widened when she saw Heather.

"Oh my gosh…." she exclaimed. "What has high school done to you?" Heather laughed and hugged her. Susan fluffed the girl's shortened dark hair and turned her around looking her over.

"Got my braces off last week," Heather said and smiled widely. Susan laughed and hugged her again.

"I think I'll hand these two guys over to Luka so we can head out," Abby said as she took the boys in each hand. "I have a shift this afternoon and I don't want to miss out on **all** of the shopping."

"Why do we have to stay at your house?" Cameron pouted as he grabbed his backpack. "All the good toys are here."

"You'll be back here after we leave," Abby assured him as they crossed the porch to her front door. "Lauren is still eating breakfast."

"I'm hungry," Cosmo said. "Can we eat breakfast here too?"

"I ate at my house," Cameron offered. "My daddy gave me his secret sugar cereal because my mom is at work today." Abby laughed as she pushed open the heavy inner door. Cosmo bounced inside, threw his coat on the stairs and hurried toward the kitchen. Cameron dropped his coat and followed him. He stopped short when Luka's big frame suddenly filled the kitchen door. The two of them studied one another disdainfully. Cameron had his hands on his hips and was glaring up at Luka with narrowed Asian eyes. Luka growled. Cameron's frown deepened and he growled back.

"Bagels are on the table," Luka said sternly. Cameron grinned and his eyes disappeared as he smiled.

"I like bagels," he said. "Can I have two?" Luka growled again and Cameron chuckled as he hurried into the kitchen.

"Behave yourself," Abby laughed as she hugged him. 'He's a nice little boy." She reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet.

"I'm Christmas shopping," she said as she withdrew a credit card and waved it at him.

"Yeah, well, I don't need any clothes this year," Luka said as he replaced his wallet. Abby laughed quietly.

"Oh…I know exactly what I am getting you," she said. Luka grinned.

"You do, huh?" he asked as he followed her toward the door. "Are you putting it on my credit card?"

"Maybe," she shrugged happily. He kissed her nose when they reached the door again.

"Call me when you can take a dinner break tonight," he said. "We will bring something to you."

"Really?" she said as she turned in his embrace and looked up at him. "That would be wonderful. I will miss you."

"So stay….home…." he murmured as he kissed her. Her fingers slipped up to his cheeks and the to the soft tendrils at the back of his neck.

"Uncle Luka, Lauren has to go potty," Cosmo said from the kitchen door. They turned their heads and saw all three children standing in the doorway watching them curiously. Lauren reached up and scratched her round cheek.

"I can help her though," Cosmo offered. Luka sighed and tipped his forehead to Abby's.

"No…I'll take her," he sighed. He turned away and swung his daughter up into his arms. He carried her to the door and tipped her so she could kiss her mother.

"You and Susan both owe me huge favors for today," he said. "And Susie is going to pay me." Abby laughed as she kissed his cheek and waved to the boys.

"I'll call you," she said as he headed toward the small bathroom behind the stairs with Lauren.

The sidewalks had been crowded with shoppers looking for seasonal shopping deals. It was fun, but after a quick lunch Abby was glad to head back to the hospital, slip into scrubs and set to work. Strangely the ER was relatively quiet. She caught up on some paperwork, read some journal articles and was asleep on the couch in the break room when Luka arrived with containers of soup and salad. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and her eyes opened.

"Hi……." she said softly as her eyes met his. He grinned and set the bag on a nearby table. "Where's Lauren?" she asked as she sat up.

"At Susan's with all them," he said. "I couldn't tear her away from that outrageous spoiling." Abby chuckled and braced her feet up against the coffee table. Luka handed her a bowl of soup and a spoon. He watched her take a bite.

"Ummm…this is good," she sighed. He grinned and sat back on the couch next to her. He wrapped his arm behind her and she settled comfortably against him.

"How did the day go with Cosmo and Cameron?" she asked. Luka laughed and shook his head.

"I'm not so used to two little boys," he said. "But they were fine. Lots of adventures today." They were quiet as she ate and he just watched her.

"You know that makes me nuts," she said.

"What?" he asked. She sighed disdainfully.

"Watching me…." She said. He smiled.

"You're beautiful."

"I'm getting fat..."

"You're beautiful…." he said again. She rolled her eyes and blushed as she shook her head. They both looked up as the door opened.

"Abby," Inez said. "MVA….multiple victims….5 minutes out." Abby nodded an reached for the top of the soup container.

"Back to work," she sighed. Luka slipped his hand behind her neck and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

"Want me to stay?" he asked. She shook her head and stood up.

"Naw……we're okay," she said as she pulled him to his feet. "Jane is here and Morris. Go on home and keep our bed warm for me." He raised his eyebrows.

"Well….…"she drawled playfully. "You said that I owed you a favor for today so I just figured that…….well...maybe...we could...uh...you know...um..."

"I'll wait up for you," he finished with rakish grin and nibbled at the nape of her neck. She giggled and pushed him away as she headed out of the break room into the brightly lit ER corridor.


	13. Chapter 13 A Good Place

It was two in the morning when she finally pulled her car into their drive of the duplex. She glanced up at the house as she gathered her things and was mildly surprised to see the lights still on in Susan's living room. As she climbed the front steps she could hear them laughing. She peeked in the window and saw the four of them – Susan, Beth, Susie and Heather – sprawled on the furniture, popcorn bowls and glasses all over. They were animated and happy and it was good to see. She unlocked he own front door and dropped her things on the chair by the door. She switched off the light he had left on for her and climbed up the darkened staircase. She switched on the hall light and peeked into the slightly open door on the right.

Lauren was sound asleep with one rosy cheek pressed against her favorite stuffed manatee. She had kicked off the coverlet off and one little foot was flexing inside the footed sleepers she wore. She was probably off riding a dream horse somewhere. Abby smiled and went in to draw the blankets back over her. She pressed a gentle kiss to the little girl's forehead and gazed down at the thick dark lashes that lay on her cheeks. Her dark hair furled around her face and Abby shook her head. She was such a beautiful little girl. She looked so much like Luka. Her very own Snow White. Something caught in Abby's throat – as it always did when she took the time to think about it. This child hadn't been planned. She hadn't even really been wanted in the beginning. She hadn't been sure that they were ready for each other, let alone a baby. Tears stung her lashes as she contemplated what could have been… what she would have missed. Damn hormones. She brushed the tears away with the back of her hand. Abby carefully kissed her daughter again and left the door ajar when she left.

She went into the bathroom and flicked on the light. She took off her work clothes and shoved the slacks and blouse and underwear into the laundry hamper. She slipped into the robe that was hanging on the back of the door and looked at her self in the mirror for a moment. Definitely…puffy. She shook her head and sighed. She brushed her teeth and drew the hairbrush through her long hair. She took a moment to wash her face and studied her reflection again. She rolled her eyes and turned the light off as she made her way into the hall and opened their bedroom door. She slipped the robe off and slid under the sheets. She was snuggling up to him when Luka's eyes opened. He smiled at her and drew her closer and kissed the top of her head.

"Hey…." he sighed sleepily. "How was the rest of your shift?"

"It's over," she said. "It was busy and I'm late. I wasn't sure you would still be awake." Luka snorted as his hand caressed her shoulder.

"I was just resting," he said. "Waiting for you…."

"I'm glad….." she drawled and lifted her face to his kiss. "I want sex, sleep and food." Luka laughed quietly in the middle of their kiss.

"In that order?" he asked. Abby pulled away thoughtfully and then nodded, an impish grin crossing her face. He chuckled and drew the sheets over her shoulders and savored the feel of her hands as they roamed carefully over his chest and then back and then bare buttocks.

"Ah…you WERE waiting for me," she laughed happily. He grinned and buried his face in the hair at the nape of her neck. She giggled as his lips caressed a shoulder and then made their way to her breasts and swollen nipples. Her back arched a bit as she eased herself under him and enjoyed the feel of his weight on her, his warm flesh, the flexing muscles and coarse hair. He raised his head and smiled down at her. Abby studied his dark eyes in the dim light from the hall, his lashes and dark slashes for brows, the way his hair fell across his forehead. She squirmed a bit as his hand slipped purposefully to her hip and then over. He was watching her.

"What are you doing?" she breathed as she closed her eyes, savoring the sensations that were rippling through her.

"Having some fun," he chuckled.

"Well, don't take too long….." she moaned softly and opened her eyes again. "On second thought….take as long as …you….want." Luka chortled and whipped the sheets back. He raised himself a bit to study the length of her beneath him for a moment. Her skin was dotted with goose bumps from the sudden cold. She took a shuddering, heaving breath that sucked her stomach inward. There was absolutely no hiding it any more. He arched himself over her belly and bent to press a line of soft, gentle kisses around her navel and lower. She drew her fingers through his hair and held him there as he murmured something in Croatian against her skin. It suddenly surprised her that she knew what he was saying. Without even struggling to translate or think about it. She knew what he was saying and she loved him with all of her heart too.

Later, as they nestled together in the satiny sheets, he pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

"I love this place we are in," he sighed.

"Mmmmm…me too," she sighed as she drew the sheets over them and pressed her back closer to him.

"No," he chuckled softly as his arms wrapped around her. "I mean this place…..this house…..this time." Her eyes opened thoughtfully.

"We have jobs that we love, a healthy little girl…."

"And now all we need is a little boy?" she chuckled. Luka's hand slipped to her belly and he caressed it slowly.

"Naw," he said. "I wouldn't mind another little girl."

"Really?" she said in surprise. She felt him nod.

"Little girls have a, ah, special way of working on their tata's hearts," he said. Abby chuckled.

"Like wrapping tatas around their little fingers to get anything their own little heart desires?" He laughed and held her close.

"I guess so," he sighed happily. "Kind of like their mothers…." Abby grinned as she felt him relaxing and they both drifted off to sleep together.

She awoke with a start as their bedroom door slammed open. Lauren stood in doorway dragging her manatee by her side.

"Up now," she said happily. "You get up now." Abby opened one eye and shook her head.

"It's too early, sweetheart," she groaned. Lauren shook her head and pranced to the table by their bed. She pointed to the alarm clock.

"Issa eight an a zero an a zero," she announced. "Diego on telebision." Abby squeezed her eyes shut. Damn Susie for teaching Lauren her numbers. At least some of them anyway. She sighed wearily.

"Oookay," she said. "Go in and pick out some clothes to wear and Mom will be right in." Lauren turned on her heel and raced out of the room with the manatee bouncing along beside her. Abby crawled out of the sheets and slipped into the pajama pants and cami that she pulled from her drawer. She pulled the sheets up on the bed and then picked up her pillow. She hesitated and then whacked him over the head with it.

"I can tell when you are faking it," she scolded. "Get up. I said sex, sleep and FOOD, remember?" Luka was grinning as he rolled over in the sheets and looked up at her. She suppressed a smile as she glared at him and crossed the hall to Lauren's room. He took a deep breath and shook his head. Yep. This was a very good place to be.


	14. Chapter 14 Girl Talk

"We're probably going to go somewhere to get something to eat after the movie," Susie said as she slipped into her jacket. Susan nodded and handed Heather's jacket to her.

"Do you have your cell phone so you can call and tell us where you are going to be?" Susie rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Aunt Susan," she sighed wearily. Her face perked up as a car horn sounded.

"That's them," she said brightly as she grabbed Heather's hand and opened the front door. Susan stepped out onto the porch and waved to the kids in the van as the back door opened for Susie and Heather.

"I'll take good care of them, Dr. Lewis!" the big blonde football player in the front seat called as he waved from the open window.

"Thanks, Brett," she called. "That's what I am afraid of……." Her voice trailed off as the van pulled out of the drive and into the street. Susan looked over as Abby moved to her side on the porch.

"Do you realize that Susie is the same age that we were when we uh….." she said as she watched the van disappear. Susan's eyes closed and she groaned.

"Oh, don't remind me, Abby," she sighed. 'This parenting a teenager stuff is not fun. Your turn is coming." Abby chuckled and followed her into the warm living room. Beth was setting up the Scrabble game on the table.

"Did they get off okay?" she asked. Susan nodded and sat at the table to help with the letter tiles.

"Heather was excited," Beth laughed. "She hasn't had too many opportunities to actually date yet."

"Well, Susie has had too many opportunities for my comfort," Susan sighed. Abby laughed.

'Oh come on," she said as she sat down and chose her own starting tiles. "Jake is a good kid. You can trust him." Susan rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah…." she laughed . "I was a good kid too. My parents trusted me." Abby laughed and Beth looked up at them in confusion.

"Well, let's just say that Cookie wasn't exactly the Harriet Nelson type," Susan explained. "I probably rode herd harder on Chloe than anyone did me."

"Chloe needed it though," Abby added.

"What about you, Abby?" Beth asked. "What kind of teenager were you?" Abby's eyes met Susan's as she stifled a laugh.

"I imagine I gave Maggie a bit of a problem here and there," Abby said. "But more vice versa." Beth shook her head and studied her letters.

"Do you realize that both of you used their actual names when you referred to your mothers?" she said absently. "You didn't call them Mom?"

"Well, Cookie wasn't actually happy about all that as we got older," Susan said. "She preferred Cookie." Beth shook her head and assembled a word on the board.

"What have you heard from Bruce and Shelley?" Beth asked.

"Nothing good," Susan replied absently. "She's moved out and he is looking for a cheaper place." Abby's interest piqued and she listened as she sorted through her tiles.

"You know, I should have known," Susan sighed. "The guy is exactly like Doug Ross." She looked up and frowned slightly.

"I forgot, Abby," Susan said. "You didn't know Doug…."

"I knew Carol," she said as she raised her eyebrows. "I heard all the gossip." Susan laughed and nodded.

"Yeah…well…." Susan shook her head and reached for the grapes that sat in a bowl nearby. She frowned.

"I need chocolate," she sighed as she pushed her chair back and stood up. "I'll be right back. I am going to check out Cosmo's Halloween candy stash."

"Keep away from my tiles!" she warned as she hurried toward the kitchen. Beth laughed and put her elbows on the table and studied the Scrabble board.

"Is Bruce a doctor at the hospital?" Abby asked. Beth looked up at her and nodded.

"One of the newer residents, I think," she said. "He and his girl friend were renting Susan's house to see if they could swing actually owning one. Nice couple. I am sorry they are splitting up."

"So…..she didn't actually…sell…the Iowa house?" Abby asked.

"No…..I guess not," Beth sighed. "Real estate isn't really moving fast. I think Heather is kind of hoping they move back."

"Ah ha," Susan said as she returned to the table. "Pay dirt!" She dropped a handful of Halloween candy onto the table. She looked at the board and groaned.

"Oh crap! Who put that word down? I needed that vowel," she complained and readjusted the letter tiles in front of her. Abby studied Susan's face for a moment and then smiled as Susan looked up and grinned. They both reached for a wrapped candy.

Abby stewed and struggled and thought about the news about the house all night long. By the next morning she was beginning to get a little angry. Why hadn't Susan told her she still owned it? She busied herself with household tasks and laundry as she thought about it some more. She stopped short when she saw Susan in the basement as she carried a basket of clothes down to their common laundry room. Susan waved and then continued to study the ceiling of the basement.

"Beth and Heather get on their way?" Abby asked. Susan nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "They left early this morning. Susie is in a funk. I think she really misses them more than I thought." Abby turned on the washer and added laundry soap. She glanced over at Susan curiously and then dumped the clothes from her basket into the washer. She shut the lid and then leaned back against it as she folded her arms and looked at Susan.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Trying to figure out where my bathroom might be," Susan said. "Remember those clothes chute things where you could drop something down from the bathroom and it would end up in a basket in the laundry room? I wonder how hard it would be to put one in?" Abby shrugged and just watched her. Susan glanced over and her eyes widened a bit.

"What?" she said. Abby shrugged and shook her head. Susan stopped searching the ceiling and turned to her.

"Why didn't you tell me that you hadn't sold your house in Iowa?"

"I thought it **was** sold," Susan said with a slight frown of confusion. "Bruce was renting it with an option to buy."

"So now that he is moving out you still own the house?" Susan nodded slowly.

"Looks that way…." She turned and gazed back up at the ceiling.

"Can you really afford two house payments then?" Abby asked. Susan stopped and gazed back at her.

"Well, the house in Iowa was paid off with Chuck's insurance money," she said. "I just figured that when the house was sold I would put the money into the kids' college funds, which is where the insurance money was expected to go in the first place. Why are you asking me all this?"

"So moving back to Iowa isn't a possibility?" Susan's mouth dropped open and then she straightened as she studied her friend.

"I am not going to lie and say that I wasn't glad that we had that option open to us," she said finally. "I wasn't sure if moving the kids was going to be a good thing but as it's worked out…."

"So it was okay to go into this house with us and then maybe decide at some point to leave it?" Abby's temper was beginning to flare. Susan frowned.

"Well, there was nothing to say that you guys would be living here forever either," Susan retorted. "What if you decided that you couldn't handle living with us? Would you stick me with this duplex and go somewhere else? What if something happens in Luka's family and you need to go to Croatia? Where would that leave me?" Abby bent to fill the basket with clothes from the dryer and then lifted it in her arms.

"Look, Abby," Susan said as she moved toward the staircase. "If you are looking for some assurance that life is going to be perfect now and will carry on like you want it to, you are looking at the wrong person. If that were the actual case, I wouldn't even be here." Susan straightened and turned around.

"I would still be in Iowa doing a job that I loved and coming home to a husband that I enjoyed being with every single second that we had together," she said as her voice broke. Susan took a deep breath and paused to wipe away the tears that had begun to build in her eyes.

"I am glad to be back in Chicago," she said. "I worry about Susie because she is missing out with school but it's been okay. She is happy. Cosmo is happy. He's making friends. I like being close to my dad now ….and I like being closer to you and Luka. But I also know that…..this…. might not last. It might not be there tomorrow." Susan turned and headed back up her stairs to her home. Abby looked up at the ceiling and then dropped her chin to her chest. Oh crap. What had she done?


	15. Chapter 15 Pie

Susan pulled the door to the little coffee shop open and stepped in out of the blustery December wind. She'd forgotten how very cold it could get in the city. She stamped her feet off and looked around. She saw him in a booth at the same time he saw her. David waved and Susan grinned. She unzipped her jacket and pulled the knit hat from her head as she moved toward him. The waitress approached with a plate of banana cream pie and set it in front of him as Susan slid into the booth seat across from him.

"Pie?" he asked with a grin meant to be enticing. "I can highly recommend the banana cream." Susan looked down and the delightfully fattening confection and then slowly shook her head.

"I think I'll just have some hot tea," she said as she looked up at the waitress. The waitress nodded and started to turn away.

"You're going to make me eat all alone?" David cajoled. "Come on…..what's a few calories between friends." The waitress glanced from one to the other and then Susan sighed.

"Okay…" she said. "I'll have a slice of your Fruits of the Forest with a scoop of vanilla ice cream…..and can you warm that pie first?" David's mouth dropped open as the waitress smiled and turned away writing the order on her pad.

"Fruits of the Forest?" David snorted. "Now there is a choice from a person that cannot make up her mind!"

"What do you mean by that?" Susan chuckled.

"Ah, my dear Dr. Lewis…." He said as he took a bite of his pie. "That particular pie has apples and cherries and blueberries and raspberries and god knows what else….something for the person who cannot settle on one particular pie filling." Susan laughed. He held up a fork full of banana cream filling.

'Now this….is a choice for someone who knows what he wants." She laughed again and leaned back as the waitress set a plate with warm fruit pie and vanilla ice cream in front of her. He watched her warily as she picked up her fork and sectioned off a bite of pie. Their eyes met as she slipped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes to enjoy the sweet/sour taste and then sighed. She laughed when she opened her eyes and saw the look on his face. He grinned and the two of them ate in silence eyeing each other every now and then.

"So what's up?" David asked after the waitress had taken their empty plates and filled their coffee cups again. Susan studied his face for a moment and then shrugged as she studied the cup in front of her.

'When you said you wanted to talk to a friend for a while I figured something might be going on." He dipped his head and tried to make eye contact with her.

"It's stupid," she said finally as she wrapped her hands around her cup and picked at a chip with her thumbnail.

"No, it's not," David said firmly. Susan looked at him and then sighed.

"Well, Abby found out that I haven't sold our house in Iowa and so she thinks I wanted to move back there and my feelings were hurt and now we're not talking," she said hurriedly. "Kind of junior high, I know." David shrugged.

"I don't know too many junior high kids who own two houses." Susan laughed.

"You know what I mean…." She scolded. David grinned. His eyes narrowed as he took a sip of coffee.

"So why didn't you sell the house?" he asked. Susan's eyes rolled.

"Oh, here we go," she sighed. "You're going to tell me there was some deep, psychological meaning to the fact that I couldn't let go of the house Chuck and I bought together and that maybe I was hoping this whole duplex thing wouldn't work out and we could move back to Iowa." David was silent.

"Aren't you?" she asked hopefully as her voice trailed off.

"It's hard to let go," he said thoughtfully. "I still drive a battered old car that we bought together. Can't part with it in spite of the horrible gas mileage it gets."

"Chuck and I weren't all about the house……" she said. "There were more than a few times when we hated it." She glanced back down at her cup and took a sip.

"Did you know that I was offered a full time position in Northwestern's out patient clinic?" she said. David's eyes widened.

"Wow," he said. "That's pretty good! Are you going to take it?" She hesitated and then shook her head.

"Too many hours away from the kids right now," she said. "And besides, it means putting down roots somewhere and…" Her voice trailed off and she looked away. She glanced at him with narrowed eyes.

"I don't want to work somewhere permanently until I can force myself back to County a few times." They were silent for a long moment.

"This thing with Abby will work out," he said finally. "People argue and make up all the time." Susan shook her head.

"Not Abby and I," she said. "The last time we fought was years ago and she stalked out of the ER and was kidnapped to treat some gang member that had been shot. We were lucky she made it back. It could have ended differently." Susan sighed.

"I'm going to let her stew about this one a little and then make up," she said thoughtfully. "Christmas is coming and…yeah….we'll make up by Christmas time." Her eyes widened a bit.

"Christmas……" she said softly. "Oh my god. Our first Christmas without Chuck." David studied her stricken face for a long moment and reached across the table to take her shaking hands in his.

"How did you celebrate Christmas?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Oh, I don't know," she said. "Something different every year as it worked out. We always thought we had a long time to establish all of those 'traditions', you know? Last year Susie and I flew to Croatia to be at Abby and Luka's wedding. Two years before that it was Susie's first Christmas with us and we came here. And the year before that it was our first Christmas in Iowa and my dad came to spend it with us….Chuck's mom….." Her voice trailed off and she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I have no idea what we are going to do this year," she said. She slipped her hands from his and busied herself gathering up her hat and gloves and purse. She opened her purse and pulled out a wallet.

"My treat," David said as he waved his hand.

"But I called you," she argued. "I should be paying." He shook his head.

"I make more money than a Teacher's salary?" she said. She laughed as David nopdded and handed the bill to her. She pulled out some money and set it on the table with their bill. David followed her out to the sidewalk and walked her to her car.

'I have a question to ask you," she said as she unlocked and opened the door of her car. David leaned across the passenger side and looked at her.

"Were you stalking me on Thanksgiving? In the grocery store?" He rolled his eyes and grinned.

"Nice talking to you, Dr. Lewis!" he called as he turned away and headed down the sidewalk.

"Yeah…I thought so," she grinned and waved. She took a deep breath and slipped into her car. She locked the doors and buckled her seatbelt. The grin faded and she leaned her head against the steering wheel.

Christmas.

What in the hell was she going to do about Christmas?


	16. Chapter 16 Lauren

Luka pulled his car into the snow cleared driveway and grinned when he saw Susie and Cosmo hard at work on a snowman in the front yard. He waved as he got out of the car.

"Thank you for doing my drive way too!" he called. Susie waved back.

"Well, it's warmer out here than it is in there," she laughed. Luka grimaced.

"Still not talking to one another, eh?" he groaned. Susie shook her head. He frowned.

"But Aunt Susan is going to be working a double shift at Northwestern so….." She grinned. Luka chuckled and nodded.

"Where's Lauren?" he asked as he headed to ward the steps. "She was excited about making snowmen."

"Lauren's sick," Cosmo said as he stood up and put his hands on his hips. "We're making a snowman for her. We're going to make it waving to her right up there." He pointed a mittened finger in the general direction of Lauren's bedroom window. Luka grinned.

"You do that and I will help her make a snowball fight with you when she's better!" Cosmo jumped up happily and then landed on his bottom in a snow drift. Luka laughed and hurried up the steps. His smile faded as he dropped his bag onto the couch and took in the sight of his little girl wrapped in a blanket on the couch. Her eyes were barely open as she tried to watch television.

"Helyo, Tata," she said weakly as she looked at him.

"Hello, baby…" he replied with a worried frown. Luka moved forward and pressed cool fingers to her too warm forehead. He sat on the couch and pulled her, blanket and all, into his lap. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"You might want to take your jacket off," Abby suggested wearily as she made her way toward him. "She's been vomiting on everything. I just put her bedding into the wash again."

"It's the flu then," Luka said as he snuggled the warm little bundle closer and kissed her head again. "She probably got it from someone at her daycare place."

"That's what I was thinking," Abby sighed cynically. "She has an appointment with Neal and she is supposed to get her flu shot on Thursday. We had to cancel it a month ago because of those creepy old sniffles. I should have brought one home from the hospital for her." Lauren managed a smile as he jostled her playfully and then closed her eyes.

"I can't get her to eat or drink anything," Abby said worriedly. "But she is urinating so she's not dehydrated….yet." Abby brushed the hair away from Lauren's cheek.

"Wanna try another popsicle for Mama? Or maybe some soup?" she asked. Lauren's eyes fluttered open a bit and she smiled again. She sighed and then drifted back to sleep in Luka's arms.

"I hate this," Abby muttered as she headed toward the kitchen door. "Doctors' kids aren't supposed to get sick."

An hour later Luka quickly carried Lauren in to the ER as Abby followed. The waiting room had only a few patients waiting so they didn't feel quite so guilty going right past triage. Abby's eyes filled with tears as Luka carried the little girl toward an empty exam room. She heaved a heavy sigh as her eyes met those of a nurse at the triage station.

"Haleh?" she breathed.

"I am right behind you, honey," her friend said as she picked up the plastic packets and saline bag that were waiting on the counter. Luka was peeling the purple snowsuit off Lauren and Abby sat on the gurney and took her on her lap. She slipped the sweat soaked nightie off and eased a pedes gown over the little girl. Lauren struggled weakly as she opened her fever bleared eyes and saw Haleh moving toward her with a needle.

"No….mommy…." she whimpered and then began to weakly struggle as Luka gently stretched her tiny arm and held it snuggly in one hand.

"It's okay, baby," Abby crooned. "Haleh is the best stick there is." Abby struggled to hold back a sob of her own as Haleh began to swab the inside of the little girl's elbow. Abby rested her head on top of Lauren's and her arms tightened around her. The little girl wailed as Haleh deftly inserted a needle for a blood draw. Haleh was crooning softly to her and Luka's other hand slipped down to hold the little girl's legs still as she began to kick. One….two…three vials of blood and the needle was withdrawn. Haleh pressed a gauze pad to the draw spot and stretched a band aid to hold it in place. Lauren wheezed painfully as her chest heaved in and out. Haleh shook her head as she took Lauren's other hand in her's and checked the veins on the top. She swabbed the skin and waited for just a second. Lauren screamed again as the IV needle was driven into place, the tubes taped and her arm strapped to a board to hold it straight. Luka checked the saline bag's drip and then kissed the sobbing little girl's head. His eyes met Abby's and she tried to reassure him with a worried smile. He kissed her cheek and then followed Haleh out of the room to get the blood samples off to the lab and to send for the pediatric attending on call. Abby snuggled her daughter closer and started to hum softly. Lauren lifted her head to look down at the Dora band aid Haleh had placed in the crook of her elbow and then leaned back to look at her mother. Carefully she raised her hand to her mother's cheek. She didn't smile as her fingertips rested there but Abby did. She kissed the tip of the little girl's nose and rested her cheek on the top of her head. No. Doctors' kids aren't supposed to get sick.

It had been hours since they brought her in to the ER. Abby finally began to understand the frustration of parents who waited for their children to be seen and treated immediately. All these years she thought she had some inkling of understanding but in fact, she didn't. She smoothed the hair from Lauren's forehead back into the loose ponytail she had put in hours ago. The little girl didn't stir. Her fever had lessened. Abby had taken her temperature herself. The antibiotics were obviously working. She adjusted the oxygen mask and then the blanket….again. Her head cocked as she looked at Lauren's free hand. Abby lifted the little fingers to her lips and pressed a kiss to them. She took a deep breath and studied the pearly pink nail polish that still covered three little fingernails . Susie had done them. Hadn't it just been days ago when Lauren had waltzed into the kitchen with her fingers waving for their approval, a huge grin on her face? Abby swallowed the sob in her throat and brushed away the tears that threatened to spill. She looked up as she saw Luka talking to Neal at the desk. Her heart began to race as they glanced toward her and then Luka held up his hand to stop Neal from following him. His face was grim as he strode to her and the buzzing began in her head as her fingers closed possessively around Lauren's hand. She watched through the glass as Luka stopped to take gowns and face masks from the rack against the corridor wall. He pushed it open the door at last and smiled gently.

"What is it?" Abby asked slowly, guardedly. Luka approached and shook out the yellow gown and eased her arms through the sleeves.

"They're moving her up to a Pedes isolation unit, Abby," Luka said quietly. He tied the strings behind her neck and then handed her a face mask. "Her culture results came back. It's MRSA."

"Oh my god……." Luka's hands tightened around her as she fell against him limply. She steadied herself and then slipped the mask over her face and turned tear filled eyes back to the little girl on the gurney. She studied the little girl's face. Lauren's lips were open as she slept, a rasping rattling sound emanating from her chest. Her lashes lay on the fever pink cheeks. She could feel the fear building in her own chest. Oh god. MRSA? It could be deadly in small children. Children older than Lauren died from it. Teenagers even. She was unaware when the door to the room opened and Chuny breezed in with a gown and face mask on. She bustled around them moving the IV bag from a rolling stand to the removable one on the gurney. Her worried eyes met Abby's and she tried to smile as she removed the oxygen mask and adjusted a pedes face mask over the little girl's nose and mouth and then covered her with another blanket.

"But the antibiotics are working, Luka," she insisted. "Her fever is down. I took her temperature myself."

"They're working now but not well enough," he said. "They're going to put her on something different upstairs. Neal is waiting to hear from an attending from infectious diseases." She nodded.

'There's more, Abby," Luka said as he gripped her from behind and reached over to put a hand on the blanket over Lauren's thigh. "You can go up to pedes with her but you're going to have to stay out of the room." Abby glanced up at him with a stricken look.

"I have to stay with her, Luka," Abby insisted. "She'll be terrified if I'm not there!"

"I'm taking her up, Abby," Chuny said. "I'm going to stay with her."

"Luka…." Abby protested as his grip tightened on her.

"Abby, you're pregnant," he said. "It's too dangerous for the baby."

"But, Luka, she's….."

"I just finished my shift here, Abby," Chuny said reassuringly as she saw the terror in Abby's eyes. The transport aide was outside the door. "I won't leave her side…..I promise." Abby's hand tightened on Lauren's blankets, a guttural wail beginning to make its way from the pit of her stomach to her throat. Luka's arms closed more securely around her as the gurney carrying their daughter was pulled out of the trauma room and into the ER corridor. Tears coursed down her cheeks as the wail turned into a muffled choking sob while she watched the gurney pushed into the open elevator door where Neal Davis was waiting. Chuny gave them a reassuring nod and then leaned to tuck the blanket more closely as the doors closed. Only then did Abby turn in Luka's arms, pull the face mask off and pressed her cheek to his chest.

"She's going to be all right, Luka," she choked. "She's going to be fine." Her arms slipped around his waist, her hands resting on his back and she felt him shaking as he clung to her and cried.

Standing in the corridor of the pediatric isolation unit was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. For a while she had stood with her head pressed against the window as she watched Chuny with Lauren……and then Luka. She finally pulled a chair around to the glass door and sat to watch. People went in and came out. Every one of them used gowns, gloves and masks. They all nodded grimly at her as they went on their way. Cardiology residents and interns. Nephrology. Pulmonology. In and out. Cultures. Readings. Stats. Poking and prodding. And Lauren slept through most of it. The few times she had been awake while Chuny was with her, she had lifted her up to the door so Abby could see her. But then Lauren had cried and it was too hard not to go in. With Luka, it had been easier. He even coaxed a bit of a smile from her. Abby studied him now, sleeping next to Lauren's bed in the recliner that was standard in every pediatric room. It was comfortable for most people but hardly constructed for someone as tall as he was. She supressed a smile as she saw that he had slipped his shoes off. Her eyes darted to the bed as Lauren stirred and then settled back to sleep. She stood up from her own chair and picked up the coffee cup she'd set on the nearby table. It was empty. She tossed it into the trash can and looked up as she noticed someone coming down the hall toward the glass doors of the isolation ward. It was Susan.

Abby waited as Susan signed in at the desk, spoke to the nurses there and then made her way toward her.

"Hi," Susan said softly as she drew her into her arms. "You okay?" Abby nodded as she pulled away and brushed tears from her eyes. Susan peered into the window of Lauren's unit and her lips tightened.

"You two need to go home and get some rest," she said. She pulled a gown from the rolling cart next to the door and handed a blanket to Abby as she pulled the gown on. Abby closed her eyes thankfully as she recognized the quilt Maggie had made for Lauren when she was born. Her blankie.

"I found that in a basket by the clothes dryer," Susan said. "Did you bleach it?" Abby nodded and clung to it as she watched Susan tie the gown on and slip her hands into the required gloves. Susan's eyes never left Abby's face as she slipped the mask on and then took the blanket from her.

"Go home, Abby. You've been here almost twenty four hours," Susan ordered. "You're not going to do anyone any good if you get worn down yourself. I'll send Luka out. Go home."

"But what about Cosmo and Sus….."

"Brett's sister is home from college," Susan said as she opened the glass door. "Word on the street is that she's flunked out. Her mom is going crazy. Anyway, she's going to pick them up and stay with them after school. Don't worry about anything. Just…go….home and rest." Abby nodded. Susan opened the door again.

"Oh, by the way," she said. "You and I are going to have a heart to heart one day soon. I maybe forgot to fill you in about the house but you didn't tell me about the baby. God…Abby!" Grateful tears flooded Abby's eyes and she nodded as Susan scowled affectionately and then closed the door. Abby watched as Susan woke Luka and then turned to spread the little quilt over Lauren. She checked the IV and then listened as Luka rattled off what had been happening. She nodded and gestured him out of the room. Susan's eyes were smiling at them as she leaned down close to Lauren's ear. Abby heard snatches of what she was saying as Luka opened the door and pulled off the gown and mask he wore.

"One little hippo all alone, called TWO hippos on the phone….." Susan said quietly. A hint of a smile crossed Lauren's sleeping face. Abby took a deep breath and leaned close as Luka wrapped an arm across her shoulder.

"She'll be fine," he sighed. "Susan's with her." Abby nodded and kissed her fingers. She pressed the tips on the window and then they headed out of the isolation ward toward the elevator.


	17. Chapter 17 The Hospital

Luka looked up from the edge of the bed as Abby came into their bedroom toweling her long hair dry after a shower. He nodded grimly and then set his cell phone on the bedside table and reached for her. She came into his arms and he sighed as he pressed his head to her breasts and she looped her arms around his neck.

"I called the daycare," he said as he savored the feel of her holding him. "They are already working with Public Health to find a source for the infection. There is another child from there at Northwestern. He went in on Friday night and is on a ventilator right now." His arms tightened as she gasped softly. He could feel her tensing up.

"She's going to be fine, Abby," he said softly. "We're lucky that we recognized the pneumonia the way we did. The vancomycin was working well for her. They are monitoring her kidneys and lungs." He could feel her nodding and looked up to see tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I just want to hold her," she said. Luka frowned sympathetically and nodded. He turned his head and leaned his cheek against her belly.

"You need to keep this one safer for a while longer," he said. "Your culture was clean and it needs to stay that way." He could feel her nodding again.

"Let's get some sleep," he said has he leaned back and drew her down next to him. "The sooner we do that the sooner we can get back so Susan can come home." They snuggled together on top of the covers and he drew a light blanket over them. He had closed the blinds but light still filtered in. In the quiet, as they tried to find exhausted sleep, all they could think about was the empty bed across the hall.

They didn't sleep much. She couldn't wait to get back to the hospital. She didn't know what to expect but it certainly wasn't what she saw. Abby gasped and grinned as she looked in the window of Lauren's room and saw Susan sitting in a rocker with the little girl in her lap. They were looking through the pages of a little board book. Susan saw her and smiled. She jostled Lauren's shoulder and pointed toward the door. There were circles under her eyes but Lauren smiled and waved. Susan gestured toward the telephone on the table and Abby picked up the receiver on the table near her.

"The wonder of antibiotics, huh?" Susan said as she played affectionately with one of the loopy curls in Lauren's pony tail. Tears stung Abby's eyes as she nodded and clung tightly to the phone.

"We've had a busy day, Mommy," Susan said again. "They took pictures of our lungs….." Lauren looked up at Abby and patted her chest.

"And our brain…" Lauren patted her head.

"They checked our ears…." Lauren stuck a finger in her ear.

"And we found a yucky little sore on our toe……" Lauren looked up at her and held up her foot which had been wrapped in gauze. Abby choked back a laugh. Susan shifted.

"And we even had a nasopharyngeal swab but we didn't like that at all……" Susan grimaced as she shook her head. Lauren looked up at her and did the same. Abby laughed as she heard the throaty 'Nooooooo" as it carried over the phone. Susan grinned and hugged the little girl in her lap.

"We wanted our mommy but we were so good so the doctors can make us feel better, right?" Lauren nodded and smiled at Abby again. Abby chuckled again not taking her eyes off the little girl sat contentedly in Susan's lap going through the book again.

"Um….Luka had to stop in the ER," she said when she found her voice again. "He'll be right here and I brought you a change of clothes." Susan nodded.

"They need to do another blood draw soon. I talked them into waiting until he was here," she said. Abby nodded. Lauren tugged on Susan's mask and pointed to the page in the book. Susan looked up at Abby and winked as she set the telephone down. Abby did the same and folded her arms across her chest and watched the two of them in the isolation room.

"How is she doing?" Luka asked as he moved in behind her. His eyes widened as he saw Lauren on Susan's lap. "Wow!" Abby laughed and leaned back against him. He held her for a moment and then pulled a gown from the rolling cart and shook it out. She helped him slip it on and tied the strings in the back. He pulled on gloves and twirled a mask on his finger as he watched Susan and Lauren for a moment. He glanced down at Abby and leaned to kiss her cheek. She nodded in response to his unspoken thoughts and watched as he put his mask on. His eyes twinkled reassuringly and he opened the glass door. Abby chuckled at Lauren's obvious delight in seeing her father. He lifted her out of Susan's lap and wrapped in a hug. He carried her to the bed and sat down with her in his lap. She was talking a mile a minute as she showed him the bandage on her foot. Susan was grinning as she opened the door and gestured Abby aside. She pulled off the gown and the mask and stuffed them into the contaminated materials container. Her gloves followed. Susan studied Abby carefully.

"I sent you home to sleep but you don't look as though you've gotten any," she said. Abby shrugged and held out the bag with the change of clothing she'd brought. Susan grimaced. She turned to the window and tapped it to get Luka's attention.

"ER Call room," she mouthed as she gestured toward Abby. "Sleep." Luka nodded in relief and bent his head back to his daughter. Susan pointed to her.

"You're coming with me," she said. "You are going to get some real rest in that call room and I am going to take a long, hot, decontaminating shower before I head home." Abby shook her head.

"I'll just stay here on the couch," she started. "I'll sleep. I promise."

"Ah…no," Susan said firmly. "You'll sleep better in a real bed and Abby, you're only….45…. seconds away if they need you." Luka looked up and waved her away reassuringly. She shrugged and followed Susan toward the elevators. Susan was right. Abby stifled a yawn as she listened to Susan recount everything that had gone on since they'd left. Her head barely hit the pillow in the call room bunk when she was sound asleep.

It was several hours later when Luka woke her with a kiss. She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw his eyes studying her, their noses almost touching.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey…" she responded. She frowned when she realized that he was with her and not with Lauren.

"Don't worry," he said. "She's sleeping and there is an aide with her. The one who keeps candy in her pockets." Abby chuckled and stretched.

"They need me in the ER for a shift," he said. He kissed her softly again and stood up, his arms resting on the bunk above her as he watched her. He reached down and helped her sit up as she swung her feet to the floor. She stood up and his hand came to a rest on her belly. He grinned and then kissed her again. Abby watched him leave the call room and straightened the blankets where she had slept.

Three days. Four days. Five days and nights. Maggie sent a box of picture books and movies from Minnesota. Lydia came armed with play doh, markers and paper. Chuny brought the newest Barbie. Even Susan's dad came one day with a collection of Legos and tiny trucks from Cosmo. They donned the gowns and the gloves and face masks and did what Abby was longing to do her self. They kept her daughter busy and quiet and content. And Luka was with her most nights.

Abby stood in the window after working a shift in the ER and suppressed a smile as she saw the two of them, stretched out on the bed with a portable DVD player perched on Luka's lap. She could see glimpses of 'The Little Mermaid' playing and they were both sound asleep.

"We've taken the IV out." Abby was startled as the communicable diseases attending stopped beside her. Her gaze swung back to the bed and she sighed happily and closed her eyes.

"Thanks, Geoff," she said. He grinned and nodded.

"She's one lucky little girl," he said. "We're very glad you got her in here when you did. And we like patients that respond well to our antibiotics." Abby nodded.

"Quite frankly," he went on. "I am more worried about you right now than I am her. Especially since you work in the ER." Abby turned her head to listen.

"I called Dr. Coburn and asked that she add a few culture collections to your regular prenatal visits," he said. "And you have to be diligent about decolonization procedures at home as well as work….." Abby nodded.

"Bleach….antibacterial soaps….." she said. "Doing that stuff already." He smiled and nodded approvingly.

"Bactroban ointment in her nose…." Abby nodded.

"She's had three consecutive clean cultures," he said finally. "Why don't you go in and take her off the big guy's hands?"

"Can I?" she said. He signed the chart in his hands with a flourish and nodded.

"She's a sweet little girl, Abby," he said. "Enjoy her."

"Oh…we do," she sighed happily. "We do." She hesitated for a long moment after he walked away and looked around the ward furtively. She made her way to the cart with the gowns and drew one over her shoulders as she watched the two loves of her life snoring away on the bed. She opened the door to the isolation unit and made her way toward the bed. She carefully turned off the dvd player and set it on the table next to the bed. She studied her daughter's face for a moment and then carefully lifted her off Luka's shoulder and held her close. She wrapped a blanket around her and carried her to the rocking recliner next to the bed and sat down with her. She settled her sleeping daughter in her arms and leaned back to savor the feeling of holding her once again. Lauren finally stirred and looked up at her with sleep laden brown eyes. Her lips curved into a soft smile.

"Helyo, Mommy…." she whispered. Abby chuckled softly and kissed her forehead. Lauren's eyes closed again and she drifted back to sleep. Abby snuggled her close and then started a bit as she felt a second swirly little nudge in her belly. She settled back in the chair and relaxed with a satisfied sigh.


	18. Chapter 18 Christmas

Christmas.

Just figure out a way to get through Christmas.

Tree. Got the tree. Got two actually. Since Abby and Luka were at the hospital so much with Lauren. Her dad helped her drag it in and set it up. They waited until Lauren was there to actually decorate it.

Music. It was playing in the house constantly. All of her favorites and a few of Cosmo's. Songs she had listened to when she was a child. Contemporary songs that she loved. Songs that still couldn't make her forget.

Work. Lots of work. People wanted time off to shop….to be with their families. There was no end to the work….if she wanted it.

Stockings. They were dusted and hung but not on a fireplace this year. Cosmo worried about that. Would Santa find them without their fireplace? And what to do with Chuck's stocking? It had been a heart seizing kind of moment when she'd pulled it from the box. She'd stuffed it back in…deep. Safely away. Susie saw. Cosmo didn't. She didn't know what to do. Didn't know how they would react. How she would react.

Presents. There were some already under the tree. Things for her dad. Something for Chuck's mom. His family. Abby and Luka. A box from Beth and Heather. Another one from John Carter. There were others still in her closet. For Susie. For Cosmo.

Last Christmas they had celebrated early because her dad had plans to do a singles cruise for the holidays...he said. She remembered the look in Chuck's eyes when she and Susie had opened identical boxes from him. Boxes that held new passports and tickets to Croatia. He'd known how badly she had wanted to be with Abby when she finally married Luka. He had known how important it was to Abby to have her there. He had planned it and plotted for it for a long time. He and Luka. He was deliriously happy that he had managed to keep it a surprise from her for once. 'Don't worry," he had said when she protested the fact that they would be in the air on Christmas…..away from him and Cosmo. "My mom will love having us to herself and we still have a lifetime of Christmases together." Four months later he was gone.

How the hell to get through Christmas?


	19. Chapter 19 Getting Through

Maggie arrived for the holidays three days before Christmas. She came with suitcases and boxes and bluster and overwhelming joy. Luka picked her up at the bus station on a break from his shift. He was grinning and rolling his eyes when he carried her things into the duplex. And then he escaped again to the hospital leaving Abby and Lauren in his wake.

Neither of them had a need to go shopping……or even felt like going shopping…but Maggie insisted. She ushered them out of the house the next morning with grand plans for her babysitting stint. So they rode the el. They rode it a couple of times just to people watch. They made plans to meet Susie and a friend for the trip home and then found a quiet pub for lunch. They scanned the menu and ordered soup and sandwiches and sat back to survey their surroundings. The pub was busy with a lunch crowd. Holiday music was playing from the bar. Gaudy decorations filled every conceivable corner. Snow was beginning to fall outside the window next to them.

"Nice of your mom to do this," Susan said finally. "I mean, to include Cosmo too." Abby nodded.

"She hears a lot about him from Lauren……" she said. "I think she missed being with us last Christmas and so she's trying to make up ….." Her voice trailed off as she glanced at Susan and then shifted uncomfortably. Susan frowned a bit and then smiled in understanding.

"Abby, it's okay…." She said softly as she leaned forward over the table. "You can be happy about last Christmas. I am." Their eyes met and held for a long moment.

"I just feel like if we hadn't been in Croatia and if you hadn't come," Abby blurted. "Then you would have been with……." Susan nodded.

"I know," she said. "But it's fine. Chuck wanted me to be there with you. He was so excited to have pulled it off." Abby nodded. She sighed. Susan reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

"It's okay….really." She clasped Susan's hand for a long moment and then looked up as the waitress approached with their orders. They sat back and picked at the sandwiches. Susan looked up at her with a slight frown.

"You know, I did think the house was going to sell," she said finally. "I expected Bruce to buy it. It wasn't some grand scheme to insure that we could go back to Iowa." She took a deep breath.

"I am really glad that we are here." Abby smiled and nodded.

"And we wanted to surprise everyone at Christmas with the baby news," Abby said.

"But me, Abby?" Susan said in feigned indignation. "Me? This is Aunt Susan here. I have been watching those pregnancy tests as closely as you have. I still don't know how you snuck this one past me!" Abby grinned sheepishly. Her face brightened as she saw the people who had pushed their way in the door of the pub. Susan turned to look when Abby raised her hand. Chuny and Lily made their way to the booth.

"Got room for us?" Chuny asked as she surveyed their food. "That looks good!" They moved over and made room for the ER nurses.

"How is Lauren?" Chuny asked as she slipped her jacket off.

"Great," Abby said. "We're finally getting the potty issues back on track."

"Potty issues?" Susan frowned. "She was fine with me. In fact she loved the whole bed pan thing. Going potty in bed with permission? Any little kid's dream…." Susan frowned and snapped her fingers.

"Oh damn," she said. "I promised to get her one of her own for Christmas."

"You wouldn't…." Abby tipped her head in disbelief. Susan's face fell.

"Why not?" she said. "I am Aunt Susan after all and Aunt Susans…"

"Make wishes come true…..I know, I know," Abby groaned. Chuny and Lily laughed.

"Actually, Abby," Chuny suggested. "They make a great holder for crayons and markers. They don't spill out." Abby shook her head as Susan and Chuny slapped one another's palms.

"She does not need any help from you!" Abby chuckled. The rest of their lunch passed in a flurry of gossip and laughs. They shared news from Christmas cards they and others had gotten. Haleh had heard from Carol and Doug Ross. Susan had gotten a card with pictures from Elizabeth Corday. Susan marveled at how good she began to feel being with old friends.

Maggie was sitting at the huge dining table when they finally made it home. It was covered with an array of decorated Christmas cookies.

"What is this?" Susan asked in surprise as she dropped her packages on the couch and made her way toward them. She bent over the chair to kiss Cosmo on a frosting covered cheek and laughed as he pressed a cookie into her mouth. Maggie watched Abby warily as she made her way to Lauren's side, her eyes on the multicolored stars, bells and trees on the table. Lauren stood up on her chair and hopped up and down in excitement as the sugar from her sprinkle container went everywhere. Abby laughed and wrapped an arm around her daughter to still her. She shook her head as she surveyed the frosting covered tee shirt and the cookies again.

"Did you do this?" she asked in amazement. Lauren's grin widened and she nodded.

"Taste! Taste," she squealed happily and picked up a purple sugared star for Abby. Abby laughed and took a bite. She nodded and then glanced toward her mother. Maggie took a deep breath.

"We were wrapping some gifts earlier, Abby," she said slowly. "I didn't realize that Lauren hasn't really had any experience with scissors, you see."

"She's had experience with scissors," Abby said as she took another bite of the cookie and settled Lauren back into her chair. "She even has her own pair in the kitchen drawer." Maggie nodded quickly and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small plastic bag and looked at it a second.

"The thing is…." She said as she handed the bag to Abby. "It will grow back….eventually." Abby frowned slightly as she examined the contents of the bag and then turned to look at Lauren. The little girl was happily spewing sugar from her shaker all over the frosted cookie in front of her….and all over the table and the newspaper on the floor under her.

"Uh oh," Susan breathed softly as she suppressed a chuckle. Susie's eyes widened as she looked at Lauren. One long ponytail had been twisted into a bun over her ear and the other swung freely from it's pink band. The long curls were missing.

"I did that once," Susie said quietly. "I was mad at my Mom and cut a chunk of my bangs right down to my scalp."

"Really?" Susan said as she lifted her head to look at her neice. Susie nodded.

"Didn't work though," she sighed. "She loved it. She wanted to cut all of my hair off." Susan chuckled softly.

"Figures…" she said. "That's so Chloe." Her eyes were twinkling as she turned back to look at Abby and Lauren. Abby was examining the cropped ponytail in disbelief as Maggie watched her worriedly. Susan couldn't hold it back any longer. She burst out laughing and shook her head. She reached down to hug Cosmo again.

"Mom!" he protested. "You're sqooshing me!"

Yeah. She was going to get through this Christmas just fine.


	20. Chapter 20 Christmas Eve

Susan stuffed a candy cane into the top of Cosmo's stocking and another into the top of Susie's. She balanced them together in front of the Christmas tree and sat back to survey the scene. She looked up at the blinking lights on the tree and sighed.

"It looks great, Susan." She glanced back at her dad and grinned.

"You didn't have to bring over all that extra stuff, you know," she whispered as she moved to sit on the floor in front of him. "They both have plenty.

"I like spoiling my grandchildren," he said. "Who else can I do it to?" Susan raised her hand and leaned back against the couch next to his feet.

"You already had your turn," he scoffed. Susan chuckled and tipped her head up to look at the tree.

"What did you do last Christmas , Dad?" she asked.

"Aw honey, you know we went to Chuck's mother's house," he said softly. "She puts on a pretty nice brunch kind of thing. Their family tradition, I guess." Susan nodded.

"She invited us to come this year," she said. "All of us. You, Susie, Cosmo and I."

"Are we going?" Henry asked. Susan shrugged.

"I don't know." Henry nodded and gazed down at her. He hesitated a moment and then placed his hand on her shoulder and patted her. Susan reached up and took his hand in her's.

"If I can't go," she said. "Would you mind taking Cosmo over for a little while? I think he needs to see Chuck's family." Henry nodded.

"Of course I will, honey," he said. Susan leaned her cheek against his hand.

"The next couple of months are going to be kind of hard, Dad," she said. Henry nodded slowly.

"And once you get through them it will be easier." Susan frowned slightly.

"David says the second year is harder," she said thoughtfully. "People around you tend to forget….and move on."

"No one is going to forget Chuck, Susan," Henry said firmly. Susan sighed.

"Sometimes I try to," she sighed. "Sometimes I just want to forget that he was ever a part of my life because I miss him so much." She felt her dad's hand squeezing her's more snugly.

"It's hard with Susie….and Cosmo." she sighed. "They miss him too." A single tear trickled down her cheek and she brushed it away.

"Abby and Luka have been great though," she said. "And having you here helps." They were silent for a long moment and then Susie stood up.

"I think I am going to sleep with Cosmo tonight," she said. 'Do you want my bed?" Henry shook his head.

"Naw," he said. "I want to see the kids' faces first thing. I think I'll just sleep right in that chair over there." Susan nodded and kissed his cheek. Henry reached up and held her close for a long moment.

"Good night, Susie," he said softly. She glanced at her watch as she straightened and grinned.

"You mean, good morning…" she grinned. "Bet we get about two hours of sleep…tops." Henry chuckled and watched her climb the steps. He shook his head sadly and then pulled an afghan off the couch and moved to the recliner near the tree. He glanced up at the twinkling lights as he settled himself and drifted off to sleep.

Luka grinned as he flipped through the pictures on his computer screen. Lauren with one pony tail of curls and one without. Getting a hair cut at the neighbor's house. Another one of her with a shy grin, her shorter dark hair held away from her face with a wide red head band. One with all three of them, heads together and smiles filling the screen. One of Lauren giggling as he kissed his new favorite spot on the back of her neck. He sighed happily and hit the send button.

"I found the Phillps screw driver and din't even wake Maggie up," Abby said as she held the tool up. "What are you doing?"

"Sending some pictures to my father," he replied. Luka sighed and stood up from the computer desk. He grinned and looped an arm over her shoulder as they headed back toward the play kitchen set they were assembling.

"I still think she would have liked the building table," he sighed as he sat down on the couch next to her and took the screw driver from her. "It had hammers and a saw…."

"She is going to love this," she chuckled softly. "She can cook like her daddy." Luka suppressed a grin and shook her head.

"As long as she doesn't cook like her mommy….."

"Shut up!" Abby hissed. Luka glanced at her and grinned. He tried the little cupboard door and sighed in satisfaction. Abby slipped some play dishes inside and then they moved the entire piece closer to the tree. She settled a package of plastic food pieces onto the stove.

"Are we done?" he asked. Abby nodded and gave their tree one more perusal.

"Come on," Luka whispered impatiently as he tugged on her hand. Abby hurriedly stuffed a plastic bag into the empty playset carton and shoved it behind the table. She giggled as he pulled her up the stairs and into hall there. They peeked through the slightly open door of Lauren's room and grinned at each other as they saw her soflty snoring with one cheek pressed against her stuffed gray manatee. Her short, dark hair was fluffed over her cheek and one foot was bare as it hung off the bed. Abby started to move toward the bed and Luka held her back.

"She's fine," he whispered. "Don't wake her…" His hands had crept up inside her tee shirt and she started to giggle as he drew her backwards toward their door. Luka silenced her with his lips as she twisted in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. He groaned slightly as she molded her body against his. Abby chuckled.

"Ooooh…..Santa's coming early for me," she teased softly. Luka bit his lip as a laugh emerged and lifted her off her feet and onto their bed. He shut their door quietly with his foot and joined her in the tangle of pillows and sheets and coverlet.

"The pajamas that Maggie brought….." Abby protested as her fingers worked the knot at the band of his sweat pants.

"Later…." he growled as he pulled the tee shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. She glanced toward the door worriedly as he straightened and pulled his own shirt off.

"She's sleeping…." he sighed in exasperation as he stopped to look at her. Abby turned her head to look at him and smiled. She raised her eyebrows.

"This one's not," she said as she spread her hands over her bared belly. Luka looked down and frowned slightly.

"She's going to keep us up all night, eh?"

"I guess he is," Abby nodded. A rakish grin spread slowly across his face.

"Then, let's not waste it," he whispered as he slipped to her side. "Play time…." Abby laughed and wrapped her arms around him as he bent over her, fingers splayed across the muscles of his shoulders.

"Merry Christmas, my little elf," he said into her ear, his voice husky and his breath warm. Abby grinned.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Rudolph," she responded happily. "Merry Christmas."


	21. Chapter 21 Christmas Day

_Ninety degree weather and I am adding a Christmas chapter! Can't think of a better way to stay cool... As usual, I don't own all of them them but wish I did. Enjoy..._

It had been a wonderful Christmas. Uncharacteristically Cosmo slept well past dawn. Susan wondered about it and then remembered that it was Chuck that usually roused him before dawn. He would 'hear' him and then go get him from his room, dragging Susie behind them as they headed for the stockings and tree. Remembering that brought a lump to her throat but it was forgotten when she saw his delight with the things in his stocking…..the gifts under the tree. There were Lego sets, Transformers and a hockey jersey for him, computer paraphernalia and clothes for Susie. Susie and Cosmo had filled stockings for her and Grandpa so they would feel left out. There was noise and laughing and music and hugs…just like always. Everything was perfect Susie announced. After their gifts were opened and stockings explored, Susan made their traditional cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate. It was just enough to tide off hunger but not too much to spoil their appetite for her mother in law's brunch. It had been a good morning but when it came right down to it, she couldn't bring herself to go. Susie had thrown her a worried glance as she followed her Grandfather and Cosmo out the door. Susan followed them to the porch and hugged her niece before she headed down the steps. She watched and smiled as she waved the car out of the drive. She stood for a moment and looked around their snowy front yard. Cosmo's army of snowmen were in assorted mixture of melting and being rebuilt. It made the newly snow covered yard look lumpy and weird. She suppressed a smile and then headed back to the door. She stopped and looked at the heavy white door in front of her. As much as she hated the thought of going to Chuck's mother's brunch, she hated the thought of going into an empty house as well. It would be awfully quiet. Too quiet. She moved toward the other front door of the duplex and hesitated before she knocked. She turned the knob and opened the door.

Christmas music was playing from the stereo and Susan grinned as she took in the riot of wrapping paper and ribbons that covered the floor near the tree.

"Ah….the calvary!" Abby laughed as Susan saw them all seated at the table. Lauren danced toward her carrying a tiny plastic plate balancing a very real looking apple and sandwich.

"Come and see! Come and see!" Lauren shrieked as she grabbed Susan's hand and dragged her toward the little kitchen set. Luka lifted his coffee cup and nodded.

"It's your turn," he chuckled and reached for a piece of coffee cake from the dish on the table in front of him. "We've all our breakfast…over and over and over." Susan sat on the stool by the couch and grinned as Lauren took her on a 'tour' of the play set. She opened doors and pulled out dishes and little utensils and plastic foods. Susan listened to her non stop talk and held all the things Lauren piled into her lap with a smile. She helped Lauren place it all back in their respective places and looked up at Abby as she was handed a real mug of real coffee.

"Has she been like this all morning?" she asked. Abby rolled her eyes and nodded. Susan laughed and took a sip of her drink.

"I think the kitchen was a hit then." Luka nodded from his seat at the table.

"Don't look at me though," he snorted. "I wanted to get the building set." Susan held her mug up as Lauren dumped a stocking full of things into her lap. She picked up the package of underwear and grinned.

"Dora?" she asked. Lauren nodded and started pulling open the plastic package.

"Ah…sweetheart…" Maggie interrupted and held up a new video case. "Want to watch a video with Grandma so Aunt Susan can have some breakfast?" Lauren stopped and studied the video for a moment and then peeked up at Susan through her newly shortened locks.

"Okay…" she sighed slowly. Susan laughed and hugged her close for a second and then Lauren took the video and went with Maggie to the entertainment center to slip in the video. Maggie sat on the couch with the little girl and they snuggled in together under a small quilt. Susan put things back into the stocking and joined Abby and Luka at the table.

"You'll never guess what I got this morning," Abby sighed and pushed an envelope across the table toward her. Susan frowned quizzically at her as she opened the envelope and drew out a plastic card.

"Home Depot charge account?" Abby nodded.

"For my new bathroom," she said. Susan's frowned deepened.

"But didn't you…" her voice trailed off as Luka pulled a similar card from the pocket of his tee shirt and held it up for her to see. Abby rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"So much for my really great, original idea," she sighed. Susan laughed.

"Oh this renovation is going to be SO good……" Luka shrugged as he shook his head and took a sip from his coffee.

The video had barely begun when Lauren fell sound asleep. Maggie shifted her to the couch and covered her with the quilt. She slept soundly throughout the morning as the adults around her carried on with a quiet and gentle Christmas together. Susan fit seamlessly into the activities therer. When the time felt right, she slipped into her own quiet home to tidy things up and change her clothes. She had made her way back over and was at the table slicing tomatoes for sandwiches when the doorbell rang. Lauren was the first one there and she pulled the door open.

"Merry Christmas!" David laughed as he bent down with his arms full of packages. "Hey! What happened to all of your hair?" Lauren smiled shyly as Luka swung her up into his arms and held the door open.

"Just a little….um…accident," Luka said as Abby glanced toward Maggie. Maggie shrugged blithely and wordlessly went on arranging sandwich meats and cheeses on a platter.

"Merry Christmas, David," Susan smiled.

"Oh…found a friend of your standing outside on the sidewalk…" Susan looked toward the door and her mouth dropped open as she saw the woman standing there.

"Chloe?" she breathed. Her sister grinned and stepped inside. Susan made her way toward her and wrapped her in a hug as Luka shut the door and David moved to put his gifts under the tree.

"Why didn't you call?" Susan said as she pulled back and studied her for a moment and then hugged her again. Chloe laughed.

"I left your telephone number back home," Chloe said. She looked up at Luka as he waited to take her coat and unzipped her jacket. "I went to Dad's but the house was dark so I figured he would be at your house and I didn't have the address but I remembered that you said you were sharing this place with someone from the hospital so I took a cab to the ER and Jerry just happened to be leaving …..you know, he's probably the only one there that still remembers me so I probably wouldn't have gotten an information from anyone there if I hadn't seen him…so he told me where to find you….and I took another cab but there was no one home next door…and I wasn't sure what to do and…"

"And I found her just standing there," David grinned. Susan shook her head and glanced around the room.

"Um…." She sighed as she slipped her arm through Chloe's. "This is my sister, Chloe, Susie's mother. That's Abby and her mother, Maggie….and Abby's husband, Luka and Lauren…..and David." They all nodded and Chloe glanced around with a slight frown.

"Where's Susie? And Dad and….." she asked.

"Cosmo," Susan finished. "They're exchanging gifts with Chuck's family. They should be back soon." Chloe studied her for a second and then shrugged. Maggie emerged from the kitchen with two mugs and handed them to Chloe and David.

"It's something Croatian," she explained as David held his mug to his nose. "It's hot and it's very good." They all looked up as the door opened and Susie, Cosmo and Henry pushed their way inside together. They were laughing and Susie stopped as she saw Chloe.

"Mom……" she said and stood frozen. Cosmo threw himself toward Susan who was watching Susie as she hugged him. Henry shut the door behind them and moved toward Chloe.

"When did you get here?" he said gruffly as he hugged her.

"Just a bit ago," Chloe said as she grinned. She stepped toward Susie and stopped as Susie moved away slightly. "I wrote you I might come….in an email."

"You say that every year," Susie said. Chloe moved toward her and wrapped her arms around her. Susie hugged her weakly as she glanced at the family members around her.

"This is a….um….surprise," she said. Chloe laughed and stepped back to look at her.

"My god but you are gorgeous!" she gushed as she hugged her again. "Isn't my baby just gorgeous?" Everyone nodded in agreement as Susie shifted uncomfortably. Susan sat down in a chair and pulled Cosmo onto her lap.

"Did you have a good time?" Cosmo nodded and his smile faded.

"I missed my Dad," he said. Susan took a deep breath and nodded.

"I know, honey," she said quietly as she hugged him. "I miss him too."

"Well….." Maggie said brightly as she clapped her hands together. "Are we going to eat first or open more presents?" Cosmo jumped down from Susan's lap.

"Presents!" he cried. Lauren jumped up and down next to him.

"Presents!" she cried as her dark curls bounced.

"I'll vote for that," David grinned. "Come on over here, you two. You too, Susu." Cosmo and Lauren hurried to the tree and David bent down and selected two of the gifts he'd brought. Susie stood rooted uncertainly and then Chloe pulled her toward the tree. Susie's eyes met Susan's and her aunt smiled encouragingly. Susan lifted her mug to her lips and grimaced as she took another sip.

"Gads, Luka….what is in this stuff?" Luka laughed and slipped an arm across Abby's shoulders. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Susan's cheek

"Merry Christmas," he said as he kissed Abby's cheek as well. Susan glanced around at the hodge podge of a 'family'. Her eyes met her dad's and she shook her head. Henry's eyebrows raised as he tipped his head slightly toward his younger daughter. Susan shrugged and watched as David handed a present to Henry and smiled as his eyes met her's.


	22. Chapter 22 After Thoughts

"You can have my room," Susie offered later. "I can sleep with Aunt Susan." Susan frowned slightly.

"You have a big bed," Chloe said. "Why don't you sleep with me and we can talk….like at a slumber party. Just us girls?" Susie hesitated and glanced toward Susan.

"Naw," she said and went back to organizing their new videos with the old ones on the storage shelf. "I kick at night and Aunt Susan is used to it." Chloe studied the girl's slight back and then shrugged.

"Well, okay…that's settled," Chloe sighed. "Anyone interested in another game? Another movie?"

"I think I need to get this little guy to bed," Susan said as she jostled a sleeping Cosmo. He yawned and sat up from where he'd been cuddled next to her.

"I'm tired too," Susie said quickly. "I'll take him up." Susie took the little boy's hand and half carried, half led him up the stairs. Chloe watched her go and then dropped onto the couch next to Susan.

"She's a big help around here, I see," she said. Susan took a deep breath and nodded.

"Truthfully?" she said and looked at her sister. "I don't know what I would do without her."

"Does she like her new school?" Chloe asked. "Does she have a lot of friends?" Susan nodded and then turned to Chloe.

"Why the sudden interest in this…parenting….stuff?" she asked. Chloe chuckled and shook her head.

"Just because I haven't been around her doesn't mean that I haven't been interested, Susie," she said. 'You know that…" Susie continued to study her silently for a moment and Chloe finally shrugged.

"What?" she laughed.

"Nothing….." Susan chuckled. She looked up as Susie came half way down the stairs.

"Cos wants you to tuck him in," she said.

"Okay…" Susan said as she pulled herself off the couch. "I think I am going to tuck myself in too. It's been a long day. Can you turn the tree lights off when you come up?" Chloe nodded and watched as her sister followed Susie up the stairs.

Susan peeked into Cosmo's room and smiled. He was snuggled under a quilt in his bed, his eyes barely open.

"Hey, little man," she said softly and slipped into the darkened room. Cosmo moved over on the bed and Susan stretched out next to him. She squirmed uncomfortably and pulled a wad of cloth out from under her back. She held it up and then turned toward Cosmo.

"Is that your Daddy's tee shirt?" she asked. Cosmo nodded.

"Susie gave it to me when I said I missed him," he said. "It smells like him." Susan pressed the shirt to her nose and smiled. Fabric softener.

"Yes," she said softly. "It does smell like him." She spread the tee shirt over the little boy and tucked it carefully around him. She kissed his cheek and settled her head next to his on the pillow. Cosmo sighed and his eyes closed. Susan suppressed a smile and ran a finger through the fine straight hair on her son's forehead.

"I love you, baby boy," she whispered as he drifted to sleep. She eased off the bed and drew the quilt closer around him before she left the room and crossed the hall to her own. Susie was already buried under the blankets on the far side of the bed, her hair spreading over the pillow. Susan changed into a night gown and adjusted the bedroom door so the hall light wasn't too bright. She slipped into bed and drew the sheet and blankets over her shoulder. It was only a moment before Susie reached over and felt for Susan's hand. She drew her arm over her waist and held it there. Susan smiled slightly and moved over to hold her niece close.

"Why is she here?" Susie asked quietly. "Is she going to take me back with her?" Susan frowned and tightened her grip on her niece.

"She can't do that unless you want her to," she said.

"But she's my mother and you're not…." Susan sighed.

"Susie, you know that we have a legal guardianship order," she said. "We had to get it so we could enroll you in school….get health insurance for you. Chloe signed those papers." Susie snuggled closer.

"Besides, you're fifteen," Susan went on as she brushed the girl's hair away from her face on the pillow. "No one is going to do anything without asking what you want to do."

"But she's been writing to me," Susie said. "Telling me how good the schools are out there…about the beaches….that's why I quit opening her emails." Susan frowned slightly. Susie turned over on her back and laced her fingers through Susan's.

"Did you see her flirting with Coach? Maybe we should warn him."

"No…David is a big boy," Susan chuckled. "He can take care of himself."

"Why didn't she come back last spring when Uncle Chuck was…."

"I don't know," Susan interrupted her. "But I have learned that my sister isn't very good in situations like that anyway. It's kind of overwhelming to her."

"Me too," Susie said quietly. Susan sighed and pulled her hand free. She slipped her arm under Susie's shoulders and drew her closer. She pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"The difference is that we know how to get through things together," she said. "You and Cosmo and I stick together. We don't run away when the going gets tough."

"Like my Mom….." Susan nodded. They were quiet for a long moment.

"So where did you find one of Uncle Chuck's tee shirts for Cosmo?" Susan asked finally.

"With my pajamas," Susie replied with a sigh. "I had a couple that I used to sleep in." Susan grinned and held the girl a little closer. She pressed another kiss to the top of her head.

"You are a good kid, Susie Lewis," she said. "And you better not think of going anywhere. I need you way too much." Susie nodded and snuggled in even closer. She yawned sleepily, wrapped her arm around Susan and hugged her.

The next morning Susan shook her head as she poured a cup of coffee from the pot. She slid it across the table toward her sister.

"Chloe…what were you thinking?" she said quietly as she shook her head and sat back in her chair.

"I thought maybe she might ready to move back with me," Chloe rolled her eyes. "I thought you had your hands full enough with your own kid. I just checked out some of the schools, that's all." She didn't look at Susan as she took a sip of her coffee.

"I didn't mean to upset her..." Chloe shrugged. "I thought she'd want to come." They both looked up as Susie came to the door with a cell phone in her hand.

"A bunch of kids are going to meet at the park to go ice skating," she said. "Brett said I can ride with them. Can I go?"

"Sure…." Susan and Chloe said in unison. Susie frowned slightly as she looked from one to the other. Susan straightened and rolled her eyes.

"That sounds good, sweetie," she said. "Maybe Cosmo and I will meet you there in a little while." Susie nodded and started to turn away. She turned back to them and glanced at Chloe.

"Do you want to come too?" she asked. "There might be room." Chloe's face brightened as she lifted her head and studied her daughter's face. She glanced toward

"No," she said. "I'll come with Susan later, though. I'd like to meet your friends." Susie smiled and spoke quickly into the phone as she turned and left. Susan looked at Chloe and shook her head.

"Well, that was hard…" she said slowly.

"What?" Chloe asked.

"You…" Susan said. "Turning down a 'date' with a bunch of high school kids." Chloe grimaced and shook her head. Her eyes met Susan's and they laughed as they both clutched their coffee cups.

Several hours later Susan and Abby leaned against the railing of the park ice rink and watched the skaters. Susan waved as Cosmo skated by clinging for dear life to Susie and Jake. Lauren clomped along behind them holding hands with a pretty, young girl.

"Brittany is great with little kids, isn't she?" Susan laughed as Lauren fell on the ice and the older girl had her right back up on her feet again. Abby nodded.

"We hired her, you know, while her mom was cutting Lauren's hair," Abby said as she waved to her daughter. "I'm not ready to have her back in preschool so soon after being in the hospital. Brittany agreed to be her nanny until spring." Susan turned to look at her.

"Wow," she said as she grinned. "That worked out perfectly, didn't it? I bet her mom is real happy."

"Well, not as happy as she would have been to have her go back to college but she agreed that maybe a semester off would probably help Brittany get things sorted out," Abby sighed. "I told her that I kind of knew what it was like to be confused about what you want to do with your life. An understatement…I know." Susan laughed and shook her head. Abby chuckled. They watched the skaters for a bit and Susan shook her head as she watched Chloe skating – racing and chasing with the kids on the ice. Susie skated by again and rolled her eyes.

"How is it that that kid can be so astute about helping others and so blind about how she feels herself?" Susan shook her head and clapped her mittened hands together as Cosmo skated past them all by himself. "She really seems to know how to deal with Cosmo and this whole grief thing. God…she even helps me with that but there's so much going on in her own head that she doesn't talk about. Worries me sometimes."

"She's only fifteen, Susan," Abby said as she adjusted the gloves on her hands and the scarf around her neck. "They're supposed to be confused about themselves. She's okay."

"Only fifteen?" Susan feigned surprise. "She's been older than me since she was twelve!" Abby laughed.

"I'm going to take my daughter off Brittany's hands for a while. Change your mind about skating?" Susan laughed and shook her head.

"Not on your life!" she said as she waved. "But be careful. You don't want to jostle that baby too much." Abby nodded and joined the skaters on the ice just in time to take Lauren's hand from Brittany. Susan watched as the two of them stuck close to the rail and moved carefully on the ice. She took a deep breath of the cold winter air and glanced up at the bright blue sky. Christmas was over. She had made it through. Now there was New Year's….and Valentine's Day...and then Easter…and memories of all the stuff that had happened in between. Her eyes saddened as she glanced toward the Chicago sky line and frowned slightly. It was going to be the second toughest time of her life. She just knew it.


	23. Chapter 23 Winter Formal

Susie threw her hands up in frustration and tapped her foot. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at Susan.

"I just don't understand why you don't want to go," Susan said. "You have the dress. You have a date."

"Í just don't want to," the girl said firmly. "What's the big deal anyway? It's just one dance." Susie stopped to finger the dress hanging on the back if her bedroom door and then headed into the hall. Susan thought she saw a fleeting glimpse of wistfulness.

"Jake's mom called and said he's quite upset about this," Susan said as she followed her niece toward the bathroom. Susie picked up the hairbrush from the sink counter and gazed at herself in the mirror as she drew the brush through her strawberry blonde curls. Susan leaned against the door jamb and studied the girl's reflection.

"She's just as confused as I am," Susan finished.

"Jake knows why I'm not going," Susie said as she slammed the brush onto the counter. She eased herself past Susan and headed down the staircase.

"Well, he says he hasn't a clue as to why you have changed your mind," Susan said as she followed the girl down the stairs, through the living room toward the kitchen. Susan glanced at the two little boys sprawled on the couch watching a movie on the television. Cosmo was absently rolling a Hot Wheels truck across his tummy and Cameron was sucking his thumb as they were totally absorbed in the screen. She studied the movie herself for a bit and shook her head. She followed Susie into the kitchen and watched her as she slipped a popcorn packet into the microwave. Susan hesitated.

"It's your first formal dance in Chicago," Susan said. "We hunted for hours to find that dress." Susie was silent and waited for the beep of the microwave. She opened the door and pulled out the steaming bag of popcorn. Susan watched as she opened the bag and poured the popcorn into a bowl on the counter. She turned with the bowl in her hands and Susan stepped aside as Susie carried the bowl into the living room and plopped it on the couch.

"Stop sucking your thumb, Cameron," she ordered. Cameron's eyes never left the screen as he sat up next to Cosmo and slipped his thumb from his mouth. The two boys dug into the popcorn bowl. There was a knock on the door and Susie opened it. She turned away as Abby stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

"Susie," Susan said as the girl headed up the staircase. "We're not done talking about this."

"Yes, we are," the girl replied calmly as she hurried upstairs.

"What's going on?" Abby asked as she handed an envelope to Susan. "That was in our box."

"She has decided that she's not going to the dance."

"After all that shopping we did to find the perfect dress?" Abby's eyes widened.

"Forget about the dress!" Susie shouted from the top of the stairs. "We'll take it back!"

"We can't!" Susan shouted back. "It's been altered!" There was an answering slam of a door from the top of the stairs.

"Why isn't she going?" Abby asked. Susan shrugged her shoulders.

"She isn't telling me," she said. "She says that Jake knows why she's changed her mind but Jake's mom says he hasn't got a clue." She sighed again and then looked at the envelope in her hands. She shook her head and tossed it unopened onto the table.

"That's kind of official looking," Abby said. "From the Carter Center and all……."

"Just something from John," Susan said. "He's been sending them for a while now."

"Wants you to consider taking a position on the Board or actually working there on staff?" Susan frowned and turned to look at her.

"We've been getting them too," Abby chuckled.

"I don't get it," Susan said as she picked the envelope up again. "I thought the place was running beautifully?"

"State of the art beautifully," Abby said. "But Luka says Carter isn't happy with the day to day management and can't oversee it himself as often as he'd like."

"So he wants to pay us to do it for him? How so like Carter," Susan sighed. Abby laughed.

"Well, I do owe him something," she said. "He paid my tuition for that last year of med school among other things."

"You don't owe him your life," Susan said. "Don't leave County unless you really want to." She frowned in confusion .

"Did I just encourage someone to stay at County?" Abby laughed and turned her head as there was a blood curdling scream from the television set.

"Isn't Cameron spending the night?" Abby asked. "Should they be watching that?" Susan turned her head in time to see a head ripping off an alien in green bloody gore.

"Cameron……" Susan asked slowly. "Would your Mom let you watch that at home?"

"No…..," the little boy replied slowly. Susan reached for the channel changer and grimaced.

"Oh, god. They'll probably both end up in my bed tonight," she said ruefully as she flicked to other channels. "Okay guys, let's find something else to watch." Abby laughed and opened the door.

"I've got an overnight shift," she said. "I'll talk to you later. Good luck with Susie." Susan nodded and sighed as she settled on a cartoon station.

"Much better….." she said as she glanced ruefully at the two little boys..

Abby opened the front door into her own living room and dropped the mail onto the table next to the door. She grinned as Lauren came racing toward her with a small cake pan from her kitchen set.

"Mommy!" she said gleefully. "Taste! It's….." The little girl's face contorted in confusion and she looked back at the girl sitting at the table.

"Crème brulee…" Brittany whispered loudly. Lauren grinned and nodded as she held the pan up.

"Oh….yum," Abby said as she pretended to taste the ingredients in the pan. "I think I will be thanking you for that when she finds out it doesn't come in a Happy Meal." Brittany laughed and Lauren grinned. Abby snuggled a quick kiss into the crook of the little girl's neck. She stood up again and slipped into the coat that had been draped over the back of the couch.

"Luka will be home in about two hours," she said. 'He wants to spend some time with her so he'll put her to bed." Brittany nodded and stood up. Abby started to open the door and then turned back.

"Has Brett said anything to you about something happening at school with Susie?" Abby asked. "She's decided not to go to the winter formal and won't give Susan a reason why." Brittany shook her head.

"No…" she said. "But I'm just supposed to give him a call if the…'effing geek'…. shows up here at all. But that's Brett. He's kind of protective of his friends." Abby's frown deepened for a second and then she smiled.

"Good night, sweetie," she said as she blew her daughter a kiss and waved. She hurried across the porch toward her car and didn't notice the dark figure standing next to the porch. He waited until the car pulled out of the drive in the dusk and then made his way up the steps to the front door. He hesitated a moment and then knocked.

Susan was contemplating switching the channel back to the more adult, scary feature when the boys started throwing popcorn at one another. She reached over and opened the door.

"Oh, hi, Jake," she said in surprise. "Cosmo….Cameron…stop it right now!" She held the door open as he stepped inside and slipped his hat off his head.

"I really need to talk to Susie," Jake said.

"Susie," Susan called up the stairs. "Jake is here to talk to you!" She listened for a response and then frowned slightly.

"I'll run up and check on her," she said. "Cosmo…Cameron…enough! Pick up all that popcorn or I am going to have to play Wicked Witch and make you eat a poisoned apple." The two little boys stopped their popcorn fight suddenly and looked at one another for a moment. Their grins widened and they started tossing popcorn at each other again. Susan looked up at the ceiling in exasperation and shook her head as she climbed the stairs.

"Susie….." she said as she knocked on the closed door to Susie's room. "Jake is downstairs and he wants….." She opened the door and stopped when she saw that the lights were off and Susie was curled into a ball under a quilt on her bed. She quietly closed the door again and went back downstairs.

"I'm sorry, Jake," she said. "She's already sleeping. I guess you'll have to talk to her at school." Jake shook his head and frowned.

"She won't talk to me there," he said. "She's always surrounded by the jock goon squad."

"Goon squad?"

"Yeah," Jake sighed. "Brett Baker and his buddies. Jocks from football…..the wrestling team…." Susan laughed.

"That's not a 'goon squad' and you know it," she chuckled. "Those are the guys she's tutoring."

"Uh huh…" he nodded disbelievingly. He started as the doorbell rang. Susan shook her head and laughed.

"Wow," she said as she opened the door. "One visitor after another tonight."

"Hi, Dr. Lewis," Brett said as he stamped snow off his feet at the door. He held up a text book. "I need some help with trig from Susie." His eyes narrowed and a slight, triumphant smiled crossed his lips.

"Come on in but she's sleeping, Brett," Susan said. "I'm sorry…..maybe she can help you tomorrow?" She frowned again and looked back at him.

"You do your homework on Friday night?" Brett's eyes never left Jake's face and he nodded slowly.

"I talked to her on her cell phone just a few minutes ago," he said. "She's expecting me so…. you….can go home now." The last comment was directed at Jake and he sighed in exasperation. He made his way uneasily around Brett to the door and pulled his knit cap over his head. Wordlessly he left and Brett closed the door firmly behind him. Brett turned and smiled brightly at Susan.

"That popcorn smells great," he said. "Do you mind if I make some more for us?" Susan shook her head slowly and glanced from his back heading toward her kitchen to the door.

"You can come down now…." she said quietly. "He's gone." Susie appeared on the stairs and her eyes met Susan's.

"The other one is making popcorn in the kitchen," Susan said quietly. Susie nodded and continued past her.

"We are definitely talking about this tomorrow," Susan said. "You know that, right?" Susie shrugged and disappeared into the kitchen. Susan turned her attention to the little boys in the midst of a shower of popcorn on her furniture and rug and sighed.


	24. Chapter 24 Shades of Brian

Susan looked up from the bills she was sorting on her bed as Susie slipped into the bedroom and shut the door.

"My goodness but you slept late," Susan said with a smile. Susie shrugged and folded the sides of her robe closer about her. Susan looked up again and frowned slightly as she noticed Susie's white face and the freckles that stood out on her nose.

"Is everything okay?" she asked. "You're not sick or anything, are you? I am still hoping to talk you into going to the dance tonight."

"I need to show you something," Susie said quietly. She turned around and let the back of the chenille robe slip down to her waist. Susan's mouth dropped open as she saw the purple and greenish bruise that slashed across Susie's back.

"Oh my god," she cried as she stood up from the bed scattering papers to the floor and reached out to gently touch the skin between Susie's shoulder blades. "How did this happen? When did it happen?" Susie sniffed and turned around again as Susan's eyes widened. She clutched the robe to her chin but let the sleeves slip to her elbows. There were finger print bruises encircling the girl's upper arms in varying shades of color as well.

"Oh my god……what….when?" Tears spilled down Susie's cheeks. She leaned toward Susan and started to cry as her aunt gathered her into her arms.

"Honey, you have to tell me what happened…." Susan held her close with the robe clutched tightly between them and waited. "Did you fall? Did someone hurt you?" Susie tensed and she didn't lift her head from Susan's shoulder. Susan waited for her sobs to subside and then drew her to sit on the bed next to her.

"Are you ready to tell me about this now?" Susan asked. She adjusted the robe around her and folded it closed. She brushed the hair away from Susie's face and pulled up the sleeves to examine the bruises on her arms again.

"Did Jake do this to you?" Susan raged inwardly when Susie nodded slowly.

"He was mad about something that happened in English class last Tuesday and when I tried to talk to him he grabbed me and threw me against the lockers in the hall," Susie hiccupped. "He was really sorry when he saw that he hurt me but I didn't want to talk to him after that. And I don't want to go to the dance with him."

"Well, I would guess not," Susan exclaimed. "Did a teacher see it happen? Any of the other kids? What did the school have to say? Why didn't they call me? Did you tell anyone?" Susan frowned at Susie's silence.

"Honey, you have to tell someone," she said emphatically. "This is assault."

"I didn't think it was as bad as this," Susie said hurriedly. "I don't want him to get in trouble. He just gets really mad sometimes and doesn't know how to deal with it." Susan sighed heavily.

"Has he done this to you before?" she asked warily. Susie straightened and knotted the belt of her robe at her waist. "No," she said emphatically. "He punched a hole in a wall once but he's never hit me. I swear, Aunt Susan. This is the first time…."

But it won't be the last unless you stay away from him," Susan said. Susie took a deep breath.

"That's what Brett said," she said quietly. Susan grimaced angrily.

"So you told…him…about it?" she asked. Susie's shoulders sagged and Susan regretted her words instantly. She gathered the girl in her arms and held her close.

"I'm glad you talked to someone," she said as she rocked her back and forth. "So is Brett behind the 'goon squad' Jake said has been coming between the two of you?" Susie nodded.

"He heard what happened from someone who saw it," she said. "And he knows about the emails I have been getting. Someone walks me to every class and…."

"Emails?" Susie nodded.

"At first it was stupid but now he's mad because I stopped answering him and says he is going to hurt me and anyone that even thinks about taking me to the dance if I go without him."

"Has this been going on all week?" Susie nodded. She lifted her head and looked at Susan.

"Brett wants me to go with them," she said. "But they all have dates and my dress is sleeveless and everyone will be able to see and….." Susie's face crumpled and tears spilled over her cheeks again. Susan rocked her again as she cried and waited for the sobs to still. Then she reached for the cordless phone next to the bed.

"What are you doing?" Susie cried as she grabbed the phone.

"I'm just calling Abby," she said softly.

"Please don't tell Abby and Luka, Aunt Susan," Susie begged tearfully. 'I'm so ashamed….and scared." Susan took the girl's face in her hands and turned her face so she was looking into Susie's tear bleared blue eyes. Her own eyes filled with tears.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, sweetie," Susan said firmly. "And nothing to be afraid of either. We are going to get you to that dance…..and we'll take care of Jake later. Okay?" Susie hesitated as she studied her aunt's face and then nodded slowly. Susan kissed her soundly on the cheek and took the phone out of her hands. She dialed and waited a moment.

"Hi, Abby…it's Susan," she said when the phone was answered on the other end. "Change of plans here. Do you still have that cute little beaded jacket…erm…bolero type thing you used to wear with black pants? Oh good. Do you think that Susie could borrow it for the dance tonight? Yeah. We've changed our mind. Oh great! Can you bring it over? Perfect. We'll see you in a minute then." She shut the phone off and turned to look at Susie. The girl's lip quivered and she leaned into Susan again. Susan gathered her close and kissed the top of her head.

"It's so hard growing up, isn't it?" Susan murmured. Susie nodded. Susan pulled back.

"I was talking about me…" she scolded playfully. Susie laughed and Susan looked at her watch.

"You better go call Brett and ask him to swing by here on his way and then jump in the shower," she ordered. "We've got to do your hair and your nails….." A smile played across Susie's face as she stood up. She headed for the door and then turned back. She crossed the room and threw her arms around Susan once more.

"I love you, Aunt Susan," she said.

"Back at you, kiddo," Susan said as she squeezed her and then turned her toward the door again. "Now scoot!" Susan took a deep breath as the girl left the room and her hands folded into fists. god. How was she going to handle this? Chuck would have been out the door and tearing down the road after any kid that had done this to her. She wanted to call the school or the police right away. She wanted to rip every hair out of Jake's head. She wanted…..god….she was shaking.

"Susan?" Abby's voice came up the stairs. "I've got the jacket….and some new nail polish too." Susan headed to the hall and down the stairs.

Nearly fours hours later Susie stood before the mirror for a final check. Susan and Abby were standing behind her.

"I can't believe this jacket fits so well," Susan said as she adjusted the shoulders of the multicolor beaded jacket. It slipped over Susie's shoulders and fastened just under her breasts. It went perfectly with the simple black dress she wore. Best of all the long sleeves covered the bruises on her arms.

"What?" Abby scoffed. "You can't believe something I wear would fit a fifteen year old girl?" Susan chuckled.

"Well, at least Luka's not complaining…" Abby slapped her playfully on the back and Susie rolled her eyes. Susan's eyes met Susie's in the mirror and she grinned.

"You look beautiful…."she said. Susie's eyes sparkled and she reached up to play with one of the tendrils of hair that Susan had pulled from the mass of curls pinned up at the back of her head. The rhinestones in her ears sparkled with the same shine as the beads on the jacket.

"Abby, they're here…"Luka called up the stairs.

"My shoes!" Susie cried and all three made a mad dash about the bedroom looking for the black heels she'd chosen. Abby straightened suddenly.

"Lauren!" she called quietly. Abby hurried in the hall toward Cosmo' bedroom and found her daughter on the floor with Cosmo and his trains, her candy stripe stocking feet stuffed into Susie's heels. Abby grinned, kissed the little girl's nose and snatched the shoes from her feet. She ignored Lauren's protest and hurried back to Susie's room. Susie shoved the shoes on her feet and stood straight for a second and sighed.

"Thank you," she said and reached out to hug both Susan and Abby. Susan pulled away impatiently.

"Go…GO!" she said as she turned Susie toward the door and pushed her impatiently into the hall. Susie took a deep breath and started down the staircase. The first face she saw was Luka's as he snapped a picture of her. And then there was Brett….and Sean…and Bobby…and Tyler….and Craig. All of them were in tuxedos and all of them had a flowers in their hands.

"Nice," Brett drawled slowly as he held out his arm when she reached the bottom of the steps. Flash. Another picture. And another and another. Susan and Abby watched from their seats on the steps as Susie wrapped herself in a shawl, blew them a kiss and walked out to the waiting limosine with her entourage. They hurried to the porch and watched as the limo drove away. Susan sighed and wrapped her arms around herself in the nippy winter air. She glanced over at Luka, who had wrapped his arms around Abby.

He handed the camera to her.

"Get some good ones?" she asked. Luka nodded.

"How about you?" he asked. Susan's face fell slightly and she nodded.

"I am not sure what I should do with them though." she said as she led them back into the house.

"Susan," Abby groaned. "You have to turn him in, you know that. It's assault."

"Maybe I should just show them to his parents and let them handle it this time." Luka shook his head and Abby grimaced.

"What if he is learning this behavior from his parents?" Abby said. "They're liable to beat the crap out of him and that's not going to get him any help. He needs help. Now."

"But shouldn't this be up to Susie? Privacy issue and all that?" Susan glanced from one face to the other.

"Some of the kids at school saw it happen," Abby said calmly. "If you let it go they will think that he got away with it. And he can't get away with it."

"Um…..I don't know," She said nervously. "What if it were Lauren?" Luka's brows were drawn together and his face hardened as he glanced toward Abby and then back to Susan.

"Do you think we feel differently because it's Susie and not Lauren?" Susan hesitated as she studied their faces and then shook her head. She knew they loved Susie. Almost as much as she did. She crossed her arms and sighed deeply.

"You know what I was thinking about when I woke up this morning?" she said as she turned and made her way across the room from them. She picked up a frame with a photo of Chuck in it. Her fingers traced the ornate silver designs around his face.

"I was going through my bills this morning and checking my calendar to see when things were due," she said as she shook her head slowly and set the frame back on the table.. "And I was thinking……" She turned around and wrapped her arms around herself.

"A year ago today I was standing at my husband's bedside when they told us that an undetected liver cancer had already spread to his colon and his lungs and….." Her voice trailed off.

"And I was seriously wondering if I was going to make it through the day okay." She shrugged her shoulders.

"There's always something new to deal with isn't there?" She shook her head and sighed.


	25. Chapter 25 Aftershock

Susan was putting groceries away in her kitchen when she heard the insistent knocking on her front door. She hurried through the living room and peered through the peep hole in the door. A frown crossed her face as she opened the door and David glared at her.

"Hi," she said in confusion and stepped aside so he could come in.

"What in the hell did you do?" he cried. Susan closed the door and leaned against it as she watched him pace.

"He is just a kid, Susan," David said angrily. "A sixteen year old kid."

"A kid with some anger management issues," she said calmly.

"Why didn't you tell me about it first? " he said as the pacing stopped. "We could have gone to his parents…."

"We thought about that," she interrupted as she crossed her arms in front of her. "Then we realized that it was really a school issue. It happened at school."

"Yeah, and the school has zero tolerance toward bullying…" He shook his head in disgust.

"And they **should** have a zero tolerance policy…" David rolled his eyes.

"Jake is hardly a bully, Susan," he said.

"Susie has bruises that say otherwise."

"They pulled him out of class and suspended him till the end of the marking period!"

"Just long enough for Susie's bruises to fade…." Their eyes met and held steadily.

"I could have called the police, David," she said finally. "This was clearly an assault." David shook his head.

"Assault?" He snorted and shook his head again. "He just pushed her out of the way!" Anger began to build in her.

"Assault," she said firmly. "you know, I have seen Jake at 25 and 30 and 40….hell, I have even seen him at 60! And I have seen what …Jake… can do to his girl friend and his wife…..and his kids. Don't tell me that it wasn't an assault. Maybe this will be a wake up call to get himself under control before it's too late." David shook his head again.

"Well, I hope you know what you're doing," he sighed. "There's been some talk around the halls. I'm not sure things will go easy for Susie now."

"She can handle it," Susan said curtly. "It was very brave of her to go to the administration with me."

"Stupid, you mean," he sighed softly. Susan's brows furrowed as she straightened and opened the door again.

"I think you need to leave now," she said. David scoffed.

"I mean…now," Susan said. "I am trying to be patient but you have really tested me. I am not sure I can respect someone who would make light of this. Especially a Teacher."

"Susan…." He said as a confused smile crossed his face.

"Please leave, David," she said again. "Now." He moved toward the door and stopped to put his hand on her shoulder. Susan shrugged and glared at him. Wordlessly he shook his head again and left. Susan shut the door and her shoulders sagged. What if he was right? What if it had been a mistake to report this? What if they did take it out on Susie? Kids could be cruel.

Susan was still wondering as she stood side by side with Susie at the counter fixing dinner. She eyed Susie sideways as the girl put together a salad.

"So…..how was school today?" she asked finally.

"Okay," Susie sighed as she sliced a cucumber. "It's winter, you know?"

"Yeah….." Susan nodded.

"Dreary…." Susie sighed again. Susan slipped a pan of rolls into the oven and then turned to the girl.

"No gossip about the deal with Jake?" she asked as she leaned her hip against the counter. "I mean, you can tell me, Mom. I'm a grown up now." Susie looked at her with a frown and then laughed.

"It's fine," she giggled. Susan studied her seriously and Susie shrugged. "Really!"

"Are Brett and his buddies still walking you to class?" Susie shook her head.

"I told them they didn't have to since Jake was gone."

"No emails?"

"I don't open them." Susie picked up the salad bowl and headed for the table. She set it down and opened the refrigerator for the bottles of salad dressing. She turned and saw Susan still studying her.

"What?" she asked. Susan sighed.

"I was thinking," Susan said. "You know, if it does get rough, we can send you to your mom's…or maybe to Heather's to finish the school year." Susie shook her head emphatically.

"No," she said. "I'm fine."

"Susie..." Susan said quietly. The girl shook her head and turned to her.

"If I leave," she said. "Then he would have won. I am not giving him – or anyone else – that kind of power over me." Susan sighed heavily and then drew the girl into her arms and hugged her.

"Besides," Susie said as she pulled away. "I have the 'goon squad' if I ever need them." Susan laughed.

"Oh…that makes me feel much better," she said sarcastically. "I relish the thought of you surrounded by hunky athletes. Sex, drugs, alcohol and all that….." Susie chuckled.

"Naw…" Susie said. "They've all taken a vow of abstinence." Susan frowned and then nodded slowly.

"Abstinance is good," she said slowly. Susie laughed again.

"Brett wears a promise ring," she said. "Haven't you ever noticed it?" Susan shook her head.

"A promise ring for what?"

"His dad is going to buy him a car if he promises not to smoke, drink, do drugs.…or have sex…..until he's twenty one," Susie said matter of factly as she finished setting the table. "The ring is kind of a reminder." Susan's mouth dropped open and Susie laughed at her.

"Where can you buy these rings?" Susan drawled. Susie laughed and moved to kiss her cheek.

"You don't have to worry about me, Aunt Susan," she said as she turned to the kitchen door. "I'll get Cosmo for dinner."

"I really, really like your new friends," Susan called after her. She smiled as she heard Susie laugh. Susan shook her head.

"Wow…that is going to be one hell of a coming of age party!" she laughed softly.


	26. Chapter 26 Winter Break

"Do you ever wonder what it's going to be like to deal with a real teenager?" Susan asked absently as she lifted a spoonful of strawberry ice cream and fudge topping to her mouth. Abby turned her head to look at her and frowned. They were nestled in opposite corners on Susan's couch, both sets of feet propped up on the coffee table.

"Susie is a real teenager," she said. Susan shook her head.

"No, she's not," Susan sighed and savored the tastes on her tongue. "She's from some alien species of good sense and responsibility." Abby shrugged and turned back to the bowl of ice cream and topping and whipped cream that was balanced on her belly. Susan frowned enviously and balanced her own bowl on her knees.

"Cosmo and Lauren are going to give us a run for our money," she said as she shifted her feet on the edge of the coffee table. "They've got our genes to deal with."

"True…and Lauren has a healthy dose of Maggie's as well," Abby mused. "However….. Susie has Chloe's genes and look what you've got." Susan pursed her lips in thought and shrugged again.

"This is sooo good," Abby sighed as she took another bite.

"You better not tell Luka you got it from me," Susan said. "He's probably still mad at me about last week's sundae."

"Oh, Luka Schmuka," Abby said. "I'm not afraid of him." Susan laughed.

"Right," she said. "And that's why you're eating ice cream from my freezer and not your own?" Abby's eyes met hers and they both laughed.

"Do you have a shift this weekend?" Susan asked. Abby shook her head.

"How about you?" Susan shook her head.

"The kids are home from school till Monday, remember?" she said. "Winter break. We're going to sleep in and just hang out at home. You?"

"That sounds so good to me." Abby sighed. "It's getting harder and harder to get up in the morning these days."

"I don't know why you are pushing yourself," Susan scolded. "You should lay off a bit and just relax this time. You didn't have a chance to do that when you were pregnant with Lauren. You were a resident then." Abby shrugged.

"Something about not having enough staff as it is, maybe?" she said with a pointed and playful glare. "Apparently there are some moonlighters who still refuse to come to County?" Susan looked up and then nodded.

"Nice try, Abby," she chuckled. "I am not going to be taking over for you. Not when there will be a brand new baby to play with right next door. I'll work when and where I want to." They both started as there was a sound at the door. Abby shoved her empty ice cream bowl under the blanket next to her and wiped her lips on the neck of her tee shirt. Susan slipped her own bowl on the floor next to her in the nick of time. Luka pushed open the front door and closed it behind him.

"Hi!" he said as he leaned down to kiss Abby. "Cold out there." Abby nodded.

"Did you get the groceries?" she asked. Luka nodded. He held out a bag to Susan.

"This is to replace the ice cream she's been eating over here," he said with a wink. He looked down at Abby. "And you might want to get that bowl out from under the blanket before it spills onto the couch." Abby suppressed a smile and retrieved the bowl. She handed it to Luka. Susan laughed as she picked up her own empty dish and stood up. She took the bowl and the bag from him.

"Busted," she chuckled and carried the bowls and bag to the kitchen. Luka pulled Abby to her feet and studied the brown tee shirt she was wearing. It was stretchy and clung to her belly. The words 'Knocked Up' crossed her chest in graceful gold script.

"My favorite shirt!" he laughed. Abby nodded.

"I opened a bag of maternity clothes and found it again," she grinned. He leaned down and kissed her. He straightened and frowned a bit as he licked his lips with his tongue.

"Strawberry ice cream this time?" he asked. She grinned and swatted his chest as he chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. She molded herself against him and they rocked together for a moment before noticing that Susan was watching them from the doorway of the kitchen. Abby's face fell and she pulled away from him.

"No…don't, Abby," Susan said suddenly. "It's okay. I was just…." Abby nodded and laced her fingers through Luka's. Susan grimaced as the doorbell rang. She glanced at her watch and headed toward the door.

"Who would be coming here at this hour?" she asked. Susan pulled open the door and stopped as she looked down into the faces of three children zippered snugly into winter coats and wrapped in hats and mittens and scarves.

"My daddy said to give you this," one of the taller bundles said. Susan read the note and nodded.

"Of course, you can stay here," she said rather loudly as she ushered the three children inside. She stuck her head out of the door and looked all around and then closed the door and locked it. She handed the note to Luka and then put her hands on her hips.

"So, are you cold?" she asked as the three children gazed at her with stricken faces. "Why don't you get out of those winter coats and we'll make some hot chocolate. Does that sound good?" The door bell rang and Susan ignored it as she helped the smallest bundle unzip his coat. Luka reached for the door and Susan stopped him.

"I think we even have some marshmallows in the cupboard somewhere," Susan was saying as she draped their coats over the staircase banister. The bell stopped ringing and there was a knock on the door. Susie came down the stairs with a frown as she saw everyone standing at the door. Cosmo and Lauren were right behind her.

"Hey!" Cosmo cried gleefully. "More kids!" The knock on the door became a banging and Susan sighed. She went to the door and unlocked it. She swung the door open and grinned.

"Hi, Doug," she said calmly.

"I want my kids back, Susan," he said as his eyes twinkled.

"Daddy!" one dark haired little girl cried as she threw herself into her father's arms. The other girl, obviously her twin, shook her head and put her hands on her hips.

"You are….such….a drama queen, Tessie," she sighed. "Hello….it was a joke!" They all burst into laughter as Doug set Tess down and wrapped Susan into a bear hug. Susan let him go as Carol stamped her snowy feet off on the porch and made her way inside. They hugged one another and Susan took her coat and handed it to Susie. Carol hugged Luka and then Abby. She glanced back at Luka.

"See…." she grinned happily. "I told you so." Luka nodded and grinned as he drew Abby close to his side.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Abby asked him quietly.

"Just a conversation we had before she left County," he said as he shrugged and smiled.

"Are you really planning to stay here?" Susan asked as Susie ushered the kids into the kitchen for hot chocolate. Doug pulled out a chair at the dining room table and sat down.

"Nah," he said. "We're staying at Carter's town house. We dropped our bags off and came right here. We were hoping to catch you before you had dinner so we could get some carry out."

"Carter's?" Susan said as she and Abby exchanged glances. "I bet he has a maid at your disposal, doesn't he? And maybe even a cook?" Carol laughed and sat on the chair next to Doug. Susan shook her head.

"How come we never get invited to stay at Carter's?" She sighed and nudged Abby.

"Got some carry out menus?" Doug asked. "I have been waiting years for some of this stuff." Luka pulled open a drawer in the small table that held Susan's telephone and took out the menus that were stored there. He dropped them on the table and sifted through them with Doug.

"Abby, you look great," Carol said as she turned to them. "When are you due?"

"Middle of June," she sighed and shifted uncomfortably in the chair. "Your girls are beautiful."

"Yeah, they are," Carol said and smiled. "And as different as night and day. Tess is a dancer and Katie is into soccer….baseball…football. Markie is our artist."

"And you brought them here from Seattle to enjoy our wonderful winter weather?" Susan asked wryly.

"Well, actually Carter was the one that suggested it," Carol said. "He knew the kids would be off school for winter break. He's flying in from Paris on Saturday and told us to come a few days early and spend some time with you and any other friends we wanted to visit with."

"Carter," Susan shook her head and glanced at Abby. "Have you been getting letters from him too, Doug? About the Carter Center?" Doug rolled his eyes and nodded.

"The man is relentless!" Susan moaned.

"And he's planning on getting us all together for dinner Saturday night," Carol said. "At least that's what Helga….Carter's cook…said."

"He probably has plans for a powwow of some sort for us as well," Susan sighed. 'Brace yourselves, people." Luka laughed and Doug shook his head.

"Interesting that we are all off this weekend, isn't it?" Susan said. "Do you think he had something to do with that as well?" They all exchanged glances and shrugged.

"This is very weird," she continued slowly with narrowed eyes. "Very…Big Brother…kind of weird." Abby shuddered.

"Stop it, Susan," she laughed.

"Are you guys interested in going to any of the museums with us?? Oh, and I promised the girls we'd stop by the American Girl store," Carol asked.

"Did she say shopping?" Susan nudged Abby.

"No," Abby shook her head. "She said 'museums'."

"I distinctly heard 'shopping'…" Susan insisted. Carol laughed and shook her head.

"In February? In Chicago?" she said. Susan shrugged.

"My kind of museum…." she said. Abby shook her head and Carol laughed again.

"Chicago pizza, Thai and barbecue…." Doug said as he looked up from the menus. "Sound good?"

"Anyone have Carter's charge number?" Susan asked. She glanced around at their faces and sighed. "Remind me to snitch it when he comes back in town."


	27. Chapter 27 MS&I

Susan grinned as she settled back on the bench and watched the boys climbing all over the John Deere tractor in the farm section of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. Abby sat next to her and pushed a straw into a small apple juice box before she handed it to Lauren. Abby pulled the little girl back next to her but Lauren wiggled forward again so she could swing her legs.

"Ahhh…Cosmo…careful," Susan called as her son climbed through the tractor's open window with Mark Ross close behind him. She crossed her arms and sighed.

"You know, I always forget how much fun this place can be," she said, "especially when you have kids with you." Abby nodded and they both looked up as Carol approached. She dropped onto the bench next to Lauren.

"Are they still there?" Abby asked. Carol nodded slowly and then shrugged as Susan laughed.

"Oh, it gets better," Carol said. "Apparently they were hogging some computer game about finding submarines with a sonar. An attendant had to come and ask them to let some little kids have a chance. So now they take their turns and go to the back of the line to wait for another one."

"You are talking about Doug and Luka, right? Not the girls?" Susan chortled. Carol nodded.

"The girls are off to some I-max movie about mummies and Egypt with Susie and her boyfriend," Carol said.

"Brett is not a boyfriend," Susan corrected her. "He's a…..friend…..with a ring." Carol frowned slightly and glanced over at her. Susan nodded seriously.

"No drinking…" she said.

"No drugs," Abby added.

"No sex….." Susan said.

"No life….." Abby muttered. Susan nudged her as Abby suppressed a giggle.

"Until he's twenty one," Susan went on insistently. "And then his dad will buy him a car." She nudged Abby playfully again.

"Just wait until it's your little girl those horny teenage boys are sniffing around" she scolded. Abby laughed and Carol leaned forward to look at Susan.

"So…is there a patent on those rings or something?" she asked. "Where can I pick up a couple?" Susan and Abby laughed again. Lauren slipped down from the bench and handed her juice box to Abby.

"Mommy…peepers again…please?" she wheedled as she leaned against her mother's knees. Abby sighed wearily and straightened. Carol stopped her.

"No…wait," she said. "This is where older kids come in handy. " She looked toward the tractor and smiled.

"Mark?" she called. The curly haired boy stopped steering the huge tractor and looked at her. "Lauren wants to see the baby chicks again. Would you and Cosmo take her please?" The eight year old nodded and climbed down from the tractor with Cosmo close behind. The two boys took Lauren's hands and headed off toward the glass enclosure with eggs and chicks in various stages of development. Abby sat back again.

"Nice…" she sighed happily. Carol laughed.

"You know, Carol," Susan said seriously. "If there is even the remotest possibility that you and Doug would consider moving back to Chicago, I would do anything I can to help sway you. I would love to watch Doug Ross deal with boys coming around his daughters." Carol laughed.

"Oh, he's preparing for it," she said. "Private school tuition for two."

"All girl prep school, right?" Abby asked. Carol nodded.

"Luka is saving up too." she said and they both chuckled.

"You know, this time in their lives is really not funny," Susan sighed. "All the things they are exposed to...the choices they have to make….all in the name of becoming an adult."

"Listen to you…." Abby snorted. "You got Susie. Has she ever made a…bad choice?" Susan frowned slightly as she thought for a moment.

"No," she said finally. "But that's not saying that it hasn't been hard."

"Hard to believe that she is Chloe's kid," Carol said as she shook her head.

"I know," Susan sighed. They were quiet as they watched Mark, Lauren and Cosmo in the distance.

"You know, I've been thinking," Susan said finally. "We really need to have a plan in place before this dinner with Carter on Saturday." Abby burst out laughing.

"A plan for what, Susan?" she asked. "This is really making you paranoid."

"Well, you have to admit that he has been making a pretty concerted effort to get all of us for quite a while," she insisted. 'Repeated letters asking for the very same thing, setting up a weekend like this, getting us all back together….have to wonder what he is going to try next." She looked up as Cosmo raced towards them and stopped in front of her.

"Mom!" he cried. "You gotta come! There's an egg breaking open and a chicken is coming out!" He grabbed her hand and almost dragged her to the floor. Susan stood up and glanced back at Abby and Carol. She rolled her eyes and they laughed as they pulled themselves to their feet again.

"It's nice to see," Carol said as they sauntered over to the chick exhibit. "Luka so happy, I mean." Abby glanced over at her and grinned.

"You too," she said. Carol blushed.

"Takes a while sometimes," she said. "You have to go through a lot of complicated stuff."

"Yeah…" Abby sighed. "And then all of a sudden it seems like it was so simple? Right there all the time?"

"Yeah…." Carol grinned in feigned confusion. "Why do you suppose we were we so hard on ourselves?" Abby shrugged and looked down as Lauren tugged on her hand and pointed excitedly at a very wet chick wearily pulling itself out of a cracked egg shell. Carol jumped as she felt a pair of arms snake around her. Doug nuzzled the back of her neck with his nose.

"They finally kick you out of the submarine?" she laughed.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Some school group came in and the line was too long. Where are the girls?"

"At the theater in the space section," she said. "I told them to wait there for us. Susie is with them." Abby straightened and pressed a hand to the small of her back. She grinned as she watched Luka crouched down eye level with their daughter, both of their noses almost pressed against the glass as Lauren jabbered on excitedly about the baby 'peeper'.

"Where are we going from here?" Doug asked as he corralled Mark in one arm and swung him over his shoulder. "The planetarium?"

"Well….we were hoping you and Luka would take the boys there so we could take the girls shopping for a little bit," Susan said. "We could meet at the Navy Pier for dinner."

"Sounds like a plan," Luka said as he stood up. "Are you sure you want to take Lauren though?"

"She's going to be fine, Luka," Susan assured him. "Just hand the credit cards to Abby."

"I have my own," Abby said indignantly. Luka pressed a kiss to her cheek and swung Cosmo to his shoulders.

"Are we really going by ourselves? Just us guys?" Cosmo asked.

"Just us guys," Doug laughed.

"Bye, Mom!" Cosmo called happily as he turned to wave. Susan sighed heavily as she watched them go.

"Aw," she said. "That kind of breaks my heart." She sighed again and lifted Lauren up in her arms.

"Come on, cuddle bug," she said. "Aunt Susan needs a hug." Lauren smiled and wrapped her arms around Susan's neck and her legs around her waist. Susan closed her eyes for a second and enjoyed the sweet feel of the little girl hug and then shifted her to her hip.

"So I am thinking that maybe we should practice saying 'no' for a little bit," Carol offered as they headed toward the corridor to the rest of the museum.

"For Carter?" Abby frowned.

"For my girls," Carol sighed. "I promised them a visit to the American Girl store. Doll stuff heaven……"

"Ooooo…." Susan laughed. 'I can't wait! My life is Legos and hot wheels cars."


	28. Chapter 28 Carter

"Carter "

Abby tugged another softly curling tendril of dark hair from the loose knot on the back of her head and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She frowned slightly and ran a hand over the smooth midnight blue satin that covered her rounding belly. She adjusted the shoulders and unbuttoned one more satin covered button at her breast.

"Nice," Luka said from behind her. Abby caught his eye in the mirror and grinned.

"I feel like I am wearing my pajamas," she said as she tipped her head to look down at the matching satin slacks. She looked up as he moved closer and then encircled her in his arms. His hand spread possessively over her belly.

"Feels good to me too," he said softly. She smiled and sighed softly as he nuzzled her neck with his nose and pressed soft kisses underneath the ear lobe where her diamond studs sparkled. Her eyes drifted shut and she covered his hand with hers.

"Do you think Carter would be insulted if we decided to stay home after all?" he breathed in her ear. Abby turned around in his arms and molded herself against him.

"Maybe," she sighed with a smile. "But we can always have ….dessert….here later."

"Oooo…." Luka chuckled. "With whipped cream?" Abby grimaced playfully and then pulled back to look at the loose tie draped around his neck. Luka straightened as she tied it into a knot and pulled it snugly against his throat.

"Carol asked me something interesting yesterday," she said. "At the museum."

"What's that?" Luka replied absently as he turned to the mirror and ran a damp brush through his hair. Abby leaned against the bathroom door and watched as he spilled after shave into his hands and ran them over his face and chin.

"She asked if Lauren actually knows that we are having a baby." Luka stopped and gazed at her through the mirror. His eyes studied her face and then traveled to her belly. He suppressed a grin and bent his head to slip cuff links into his shirt sleeves.

"She knows," he said.

"I don't think so," Abby shook her head. Luka turned to her and leaned back against the sink.

"Abby, she has felt the baby move," Luka scoffed. "She's been in the bath tub with you. She has seen your belly."

"I know that," Abby said. "But I am not so sure she really…gets it." Luka grimaced.

"Well, Carol said that Tess and Kate were very surprised when she finally explained that she would be bringing a baby home for them. They were about the same age as Lauren."

"Eh…Lauren is much…brighter…than those two." Abby laughed and stretched her face up for a kiss.

"You are totally unbiased in that opinion, I suppose?" she asked.

"Um hmmm…" Luka grinned as he kissed her forehead and then the tip of her nose and her lips.

"Do we really have to go?" he sighed again. Abby laughed and pulled away. She took his hand and tugged insistently as they made their way through their bedroom to the hall. Luka grabbed his jacket off the bed and Abby pushed open the door to her daughter's bedroom. She was standing by her bed surveying a pile of toys.

"Did you decide on something yet?" Abby asked as she refastened the red bow clips that held Lauren's dark hair off her face. She sat on the bed and held open the pink backpack that was laying there. Lauren held up two trucks and then a book and finally her stuffed manatee.

"What about your new baby doll?" Luka asked. Lauren looked up at him and held a finger to her lips.

"Sleeping," she said as she pointed to the doll covered with a blanket next to her pillow. Abby grinned. She reached for Lauren's jacket and slipped her arms inside. Lauren watched as her mother zipped it snuggly and picked up her backpack. Luka grinned as his daughter headed toward him and stopped.

"Yike my new shoes?" she asked as she held up one navy leather shoed foot. He nodded and winked. Lauren tried to wink back and smiled as she carried her backpack down the stairs with her parents behind her. Luka checked his watch and held up Abby's coat for her. The door bell rang and Cosmo pushed the front door open.

"The car is here!" he called excitedly. "It's a stretch limo! A really long one! Come and see." He grabbed Lauren's hand and pulled her out the door. Susan stood at the top of the steps and shook her head as she surveyed the long car parked on the street in front of their house. Susie and Brett were steering Lauren and Cosmo ahead of them on the snow laden sidewalk.

"Carter," she sighed as her eyes met Abby's. "Can you believe him?" Abby rolled her eyes.

"A couple of days ago you were whining about never getting to do the good stuff with him," she said.

"Yeah, well, good stuff means waking up in a mansion with a maid to take care of your needs," Susan said as she headed down the steps. "A vacation on his yacht in the Mediterreanean…" Abby shook her head happily and clung to Luka's hand as they headed down the steps toward the limosine.

They took a long slow ride through the darkening city streets. Even Abby had to admit that there was a certain magic in the ride. They were nestled in plush seats watching familiar places pass by through the tinted windows. It was almost a disappointment when the limo pulled to a stop in front of Carter's town house. He was waiting for them as the door was opened by the house keeper.

"Carter!" Susan hugged him happily as the housekeeper took their coats. She introduced Susie, Brett and Cosmo and nodded in approval as she glanced about them.

"Gamma would be proud, Carter," she said. He chuckled and stepped back a bit.

"John Carter…" Abby said quietly as their eyes met.

"Abigail Lockhart," he replied. He tipped his head quizzically. "Kovac?" Her smile widened as she leaned into his hug.

"You look great," he said with a sigh. His eyes met Luka's and he reached out a hand as Abby pulled away to help Lauren. Luka grinned as they shook hands and then laughed as they hugged one another. Carter stepped back to survey the little girl that was tugging down the skirt of her navy and while checked dress. The bodice was covered in smocked strawberries, a short sash buttoned in the back at the waist. Her short, dark hair barely brushed her shoulders and was held off her face with red bow barrettes.

"This grown up girl is not Miss Lauren?" Carter asked as he put his hands on his hips. She looked up him shyly, wrapped an arm around Abby's leg and nodded. Carter crouched down.

"That's a beautiful dress," he said. Lauren pulled away from Abby and held up a foot.

"I have new shoes," she said. "Do you yike dem?' she asked.

"Oh, indeed….very much so," he said as he examined the navy strap shoes and red tights.

"Fank you," she said demurely and put her foot down again. Abby heard Susan chuckle as she moved closer to her.

"Totally smitten and she hasn't even used the eye thing yet," Susan said softly. Abby frowned slightly as she glanced from Carter's face to Lauren.

"Ooop…there she goes," Susan whispered slowly. "Chin drops toward her chest ever so slightly. Her lashes dip for one and a half seconds, not even a tiny bit longer or shorter, face tips slightly to the side, coy little smile and ka-ching…that girl is set for life. I am telling you Abby, Scarlett O'Hara has nothing on Lauren Kovac." Abby grimaced and jabbed Susan playfully with her elbow.

"Oh my…," Carter sighed and then stood up. "Well, the kids are having their on dinner in the den. I am not sure what Greta has planned to keep them busy but it involves beads and feathers and sequins of all colors and sizes." He reached to take Lauren's backpack and she took it from Luka herself.

"I can carry it myself," she insisted hurriedly. Carter leaned back a bit and laughed as she wrapped her arms around it and waited.

"Definitely her mother's daughter," he laughed as he watched Abby kiss her.

"Shut up," Abby breathed softly as she straightened and punched him in the arm. Carter rubbed the sleeve of his jacket in mock pain as he watched Cosmo and Lauren being led off by his housekeeper. Susie and Brett started to follow.

"No, you two will be dining with us," John said. Susie stopped and exchanged approving looks with Brett.

"I do need your help though," he said. "I thought maybe you could help select some music for us to listen to during dinner. There's a pretty extensive collection to choose from upstairs in my room."

"Sure," Susie said happily and took Brett's hand.

"I'll help," Luka offered. Susie turned swiftly on the steps and stopped him with a hand to his chest.

"Uh…no," she said firmly and then smiled. "Thanks anyway." Abby and Susan chuckled at Luka's stricken face. He watched the two of them disappear behind the heavy library doors.

"What?" Luka protested. "I like music too." Abby shook her head and looped her arm through his. She reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Never mind…." She laughed. Susan shook her head as she linked her arm through Carter's offered one.

"You are so smooth, Carter," she laughed. She frowned slightly and then looked back at Abby.

"Mata Hari," she said brightly. "Or maybe Bonnie…..you know, as in Bonnie and Clyde?" Abby groaned.

"Oh, give it up, Susan," Abby sighed with a laugh. 'That's my daughter, you are talking about!"

"What is all that about?" Carter asked.

"Femme fatales," Susan said quickly. "Susie is doing a paper at school about women who changed history by using their feminine wiles. You know, flirting and cooing…."

"Hmm….really," Carter said blankly. "I have never meant anyone like that."

"Ah...uh hu,." Susan laughed as she glanced back at Abby.

Carter led them into the library where Doug and Carol were going through a box on the coffee table.

"Oh, at last," Doug said. "Susan, come here and take a look at these." He held out a small stack of photographs. Susan's eyes widened as she studied them. Carol was laughing as she handed several to Abby and to Luka.

"Oh my …Carter, where did you get these?" Susan exclaimed as she sat next to Doug and took more out of the box.

"Luka…" Abby laughed as she held up a photograph. "You were so skinny!" Carter sat in an over stuffed chair across the room and enjoyed the sight of all of them going through the box of pictures.

"Where did you get these, Carter?" Susan asked again.

"Dr. Corday had them," he said. 'She found the box with Marks's things and just hung on to them untill she was ready to give them up."

"You've seen Elizabeth?" Susan exclaimed. "When? And how is Ella?"

"The last time I was in London," Carter sighed. "About a month ago. We went to dinner, in fact. She gave me the box and I was going through them and I don't know," He leaned back and laced his fingers over his chest.

"I started missing people…." he finished. They were all silent as they studied him. Susan pressed a hand to her heart and sighed.

"Aw, Carter…." she said. "Will you marry me? And I'm not after your money either."" Doug chortled and they laughed as Carter shook his head and grinned at Susan. Carol held out another picture to Abby. She groaned and took it from her. She grimaced as she studied it.

"So this doesn't have anything to do with the Carter Center?" Luka asked. Carter shook his head.

"You turned me down," he chuckled. "Every last one of you. I had to cast my net a little wider. I'm bringing Debbie in as Director." Luka's eyes widened.

"Red Cross Debbie from Africa?" Carter's grin widened.

"She's ready for a change," he said. "Wants to take a break for a while. She has the administrative experience…."

"She'll be wonderful," Luka nodded. His face fell as Abby handed him another picture.

"Oh…." He groaned. "Tear it up!" Abby snatched it from his hands.

"No way!" she laughed. Luka caught her hand and pulled her close for a kiss as he tried to pull the snapshot away from her.

"Oh my god, Susan," Carol laughed. "Here's one of you and Mark. Was that your first day?" Susan took a deep breath and her eyes met Carter's for a second. Wordlessly she held up her hand and pointed to her ring finger. He laughed and reached for the picture Abby held out to him.

"Oh no!" he groaned. "Halloween?" Abby laughed.


	29. Chapter 29 Therapy

Susan turned the car off and turned to look at Susie. She had been terribly quiet on the drive to the medical building. Now she was looking up at the rows of windows in the building.

"You don't have to do this you know," she said quietly. Susie turned huge eyes toward her and shrugged.

"It's not a big deal," she said. "It will help him, right?" Susan shook her head.

"You amaze me," she said. 'Isn't there anything that worries you? Anything that you are afraid of? You grew up with a drug seeking freak for a mom….I mean I love her to death because she is my sister but let's face it, she wasn't exactly the poster child for motherhood." Susie chuckled and shrugged her shoulders.

"You have been bounced around from here to there….found your stepfather on the floor after a massive heart attack. God, practically carried me through things with Susie smiled wanly.

"Nothing, huh?" Susie shrugged and smoothed her hands over a manila envelope in her lap.

"You," she said quietly. Her eyes met Susan's and she shrugged again.

"I am afraid of losing you," she said quietly. Susan gazed at her solemnly for a long moment and then gathered her in her arms and held her close. She kissed the top of her head and squeezed again before letting her go.

"I can't promise you….." she said. "You know I can't. Not after last year. But I can promise that I would never leave you without a good fight. Okay?" Susie grinned and nodded.

"Okay,' she said.

"Ready?" Susan asked. Susie nodded. She opened her car door and climbed out. She stood still and looked up again at the tall medical building in front of her. Susan rounded the car and held out her hand. Susie looked at it for a moment and then tucked the large envelope under her arm. She laced her fingers in Susan's and headed through the parking lot. They found their way to an elevator and to the suite on the fourth floor they had been directed to. The waiting room was empty and Susan approached the front desk and spoke to the receptionist. The woman picked up a phone and then spoke to Susie.

"Dr. Chapman will be right out," she smiled. Almost immediately the office door opened and a hefty built older man made his way into the waiting room.

"I/m Dr. Chapman," he said with a smile. "Susie, I presume?" Susie smiled and took his offered hand.

"Yes, " she said. He glanced toward Susan quizzically.

"I'm Susan Lewis," she said. "Dr. Susan Lewis…"

"Very, very nice to meet you," he said He turned back to Susie. "Jake and I have been talking for a little bit so he's already in my office. Do you have any questions about anything before we join him?" Susie frowned a little thoughtfully and then shook her head.

"I'll be right out here, sweetie," Susan said. Susie nodded and disappeared through the door. Dr. Chapman watched her and then smiled at Susan.

"She'll be fine," he said. "Help yourself to the coffee pot."

"It's not her that I am worried about," Susan muttered as he closed the door and she turned to the magazine rack. She picked out a few and settled herself on a nearby couch to wait. It was nearly an hour later when Susie came laughing through the door with Jake close behind her.

"Okay if I go down to the parking lot with Jake?" Susie asked. "He got a car for his birthday and wants to show it to me."

"Okay," Susan said. "You know where my car is and I'll be right behind you." Susie nodded and the two teenagers left. Susan stood up and Dr. Chapman was leaning against his office door.

"Interesting girl, that one," he said. "The envelope with printed emails was a nice touch, by the way. Your idea?" Susan scoffed and shook her head.

"Nothing that child does is my idea," she sighed. "What did she do with them?"

"Tore them up and tossed them in the garbage," he said. "Told Jake that as far as she was concerned the situation was over. It was a nicely done symbolic gesture. She said she is planning to go to U of C's med school?" Susan nodded.

"That's the plan." Dr. Chapman grinned.

"Wouldn't mind at all having her on my staff when she's ready," he said. "If she sticks to it, I mean."

"Oh, she'll stick to it," Susan said happily. "That's the kind of kid she is." She nodded and waved as she opened the suite door and made her way toward the elevator. Susie and Jake were waiting by her car. They said good bye to one another and Jake eye Susan warily as he hurried toward another part of the parking lot.

"Well…." Susan asked as she fit the key in the ignition of the car and turned it on. "How did it go?" Susie shrugged and smiled broadly.

"I definitely see myself in that business," she said happily. Susan chuckled and pulled the car out of the parking space.

Susie chattered all the way home and retrieved Cosmo from Brittany before heading to finish her homework in her bedroom. Susan went through the things she'd pulled from the mailbox and then went through Cosmo's school backpack. She pulled out a manila envelope with her name scrawled across the front. She opened it and pulled out a child's story book. There was a note from Cosmo's teacher attached to the front. Susan read it and flipped through the pages of the book. The pictures were colorful and a true to life. She read the title again. _When You Were in Your Mommy_. She frowned slightly and then headed up the stairs toward Cosmo's bedroom with the book in hand.

He was searching for something under his bed. Acton figures and legos littered his floor. She grinned at the short, blue jeaned legs and sneakers flailing around as he scooted farther and then eased himself out.

"Cos.." she said. "Can you come out so I can talk to you for a minute?"

"Is it important right now?" he asked, his voice muffled. Susan sat on the edge of his bed.

"I think so," she said. He scooted out from under the bed and sat back on his haunches to look up at her. He brushed his longish hair away from his eyes. Must remember to take him for a hair cut this weekend, she thought. His eyes dropped to the book in her hands and he frowned.

"Your teacher said she took this away from you in school today," Susan said. 'Where did you get it?"

"It's Lauren's book," he said as he stood up. "I took it so I could show Cameron. He said that babies come from China and I had to show him they didn't." Susan suppressed a smile.

"Did you try to tell your teacher that?" Cosmos shook his head.

"She wouldn't listen," he said sadly. "Nobody listens to me."

"I listen to you," Susan said brightly. "So does Susie and Grandpa, Luka, Abby…" Her voice trailed off as he slowly shook his head.

"Cameron doesn't listen to me. He's just stupid," the little boy said. Susan sighed and then waited as he lifted his big eyes to her's.

"Daddy didn't listen to me either," he said.

"Oh Cosmo, of course he did!" Susan exclaimed. Ðaddy always listened to you." Cosmo shook his head.

"No, he didn't," he said. "I told him I didn't want him to die but he did any way."

"Oh honey," Susan said as she laid the book on the bed next to her and reached for his hands. "Daddy didn't have any control over that. The cancer did. He tried his hardest to stay with us but he couldn't." A tear dripped down Cosmo's round cheek, so very much like Chuck's. Susan drew him on to her lap and wrapped her arms around him. She held him close for a long moment and glanced around his delightfully messy, little boy room. Her eyes came to rest on the Star Wars calendar hanging next to his open closet. Her heart sank to her stomach and she kissed the top of his head. How could he have known? It wasn't a date that was circled there or anything. How could she have forgotten herself? She had been so wrapped up in this thing with Susie that she had actually forgotten that it had been a year ago today. No, tonight. 10:27 pm.

"You know what?" she said brightly as she tipped him back so he was looking up at her. 'What do you say we have a special dinner tonight? Candles, table cloth…the works. We'll invite Grandpa to come too. We can have some fun and remember Daddy."

"Do you mean like a birthday?" Cosmo frowned. Susan hugged him again.

"No," she said. "Not really like a birthday. We can have Daddy's favorite dinner though and just talk about things we like to remember about him. Do you remember what Daddy liked best for dinner?"

"T bone steak and baked potatoes!" Cosmo grinned immediately. "And Susie's rice krispie treats!" Susan chuckled and kissed his cheek again.

"That's right…." She laughed. "Why don't you go tell Susie what we are planning and ask if she can rustle up her special rice krispie teats for dessert?" Cosmo climbed off her lap and ran toward the door. He stopped and turned back to her. He grinned and hopped over to throw his arms around her for a hug. Susan's eyes closed as she held her little boy for a moment and then he was gone and she was alone. Damn. A whole year.

Susan, Cosmo and Susie were working in the kitchen when Luka knocked on the back door. Susan opened it and he held out a wrapped package from the meat market.

"Oh, thank you!" Susan exclaimed. "I was glad that I caught you at the hospital so you could stop and pick something out for me. I wouldn't have had a clue."

"I can cook it for you," Luka offered. "I just fired up the gas grill. I got a steak for me too."

"Does Abby know about that?" Susan asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. He grinned and shook his head.

"She's working until nine o'clock tonight," he said sheepishly. "She told me she would get something for herself on the way home and to just feed Lauren. Don't tell her though." Susan shook her head in mock consternation.

"My head is spinning with all the secrets I have to keep for you two" she sighed. "Ice cream love fests….and now secretive steak dinners." Luka laughed.

"Want it grilled?" he asked her again. Susan nodded and handed the package back to him.

"Be right back," he said and she closed the door. She reached for a stack of plates and carried them to the dining table. Susie followed her with a big salad bowl. Susan shook her head and laughed at all of the candles that Cosmo had gathered and set in the middle of the white table cloth. He'd even brought the small scented ones from their bathrooms. She blinked back tears and took a deep breath. She shook her head as Susie set the bowl down and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Susan shrugged and put an arm around her niece.

"Not really," Susan sighed. "But I'll be fine." She smiled and kissed Susie's cheek as they made their way back to the kitchen. Susan opened the silverware drawer and watched as Cosmo counted out four forks, four knives and four spoons. He carried them into the dining room and Luka knocked on their back door again. Susan carried a platter to the door and grabbed Lauren's book off the table as well.

"This is yours," she said as she gave him the book. "Apparently my son was using it to explain the birds and the bees to the entire first grade today." Luka frowned in confusion as he took the book from her.

"It seems that Cameron told them that babies come from China which probably makes sense to him because his parents are there right now picking up a baby sister from the…uh… cabbage patch," Susan went on with a laugh. Luka's frown deepened.

"Might have known Cameron would be at the bottom of it," he grumbled.

"Never mind," Susan laughed. Luka took the platter from her and was gone again. Susan waited at the open door as he lifted the huge t-bone steak from the grill and set in on her platter. He turned to hand it to her with a flourish.

"Enjoy…" he said brightly.

"Thanks! You too," she grinned and carried the steak into the kitchen. Her dad was helping Cosmo and Susie finish setting the table and he looked up at her with worried eyes. Susan winked and put the steak on the table.

"Anyone hungry, yet?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Cosmos cried. He pulled his grandpa to the table and watched from his chair as Susie lit the candles around the room and Susan turned off the lights.

"Cool.." Cosmo sighed in the dim light. And so they ate and talked and laughed and remembered together. Happy times. Vacations. Family times. Quiet times.

In due time her dad went home, after tucking Cosmo into bed and giving her a long, firm hug. Susie was finally finishing her homework in her room and Susan was left alone. She extinguished all but one of the candles on the table and found a pen and an old pad of stationary. She sat down at the table and sighed. She picked up the pen and began to write across the top…'My Dearest Chuck'. She had filled five pages before she heard Abby pull her car into the driveway, climb the steps to the front porch and go in her own front door. Susan stared at the candle for a moment and finished her letter. She glanced at her watch and waited. At 10:27 pm exactly, she blew out the candle.


	30. Chapter 30 Trauma

_I always forget the disclaimers so... I don't own 'em but sincerely wish I did._

Susan entered the ER and approached the triage window. The nurse there smiled and pressed the button that opened the doors for her. Chuny was replacing a patient's file when she looked up and grinned.

"Hello, stranger!" she exclaimed happily. "It's been a while since you've been here."

"I know," Susan nodded with a smile. "I have been working a lot lately but I'm meeting Abby here for lunch. Is she around?"

"She's finishing up with a patient right now but I can find her for you," Chuny offered. "It's not very busy today." Susan nodded and then her smile broadened as Luka approached. He leaned on his elbows across the counter from her.

"So," he asked as he smiled. "Have you given some thought to my idea for Cosmo's birthday present?" Susan grimaced and rolled her eyes.

"I'm still thinking about it," she said. "A puppy?" Luka raised his eyebrows and nodded.

"He needs one, Susan." She laughed.

"He needs one or you need one?" she scoffed teasingly. "I'm thinking that you want one but Abby has said no because of the new baby coming and so you're passing this off to my side of the duplex." Luka straightened and grimaced in mock surprise.

"Would I do that?" he said.

"Oh totally," Susan scoffed. "And don't try using those eyes on me. I so have your number, Dr. Kovac."

"He's old enough now to learn to take care of a puppy himself," Luka pleaded. "I'll teach him everything. You won't have to do a thing. I promise."

"If only I had a nickel for every time a Mom has heard that line…" Susan looked up as Chuny caught her eye from one of the trauma rooms. Luka rounded the counter and followed her as she headed toward Chuny.

"Lauren's getting a new baby. His buddy, Cameron, has a new sister," Luka said quickly. "He needs a dog so he doesn't feel left out." Susan rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Well, that's a new argument," she chuckled. "I'll think about it some more." She shook her head and Luka grinned as she followed Chuny into the empty trauma room.

Abby was sorting through the medication vials on the counter and adding to the notes on her chart.

"Hi," she said as she looked up for a second. "I'll be ready to go in a minute or two." Susan nodded and stood silently. Abby glanced over at her.

"Is Luka still giving you the spiel for Cosmo's puppy?" she chuckled. Susan nodded.

"We have a nice, quiet house right now," she said. "I'm not sure that a dog is going to help me maintain that." Abby chuckled.

"He is not going to give up easily," she warned. Susan rolled her eyes.

"So, if I say yes to a puppy when he is seven," she said. "What do I say to a….motorcycle…when he's seventeen?" Abby grimaced as she handed the chart to Chuny and headed toward the door.

"No one gets a motorcycle in my family before I do," she said.

"Got that right," Chuny chuckled.

"Well, I was actually thinking about a dog before he brought it up," Susan sighed. "But I think I might let Luka stew a bit more to see what else he can come up with. He is kind of cute when he's begging." Chuny grinned and turned to set the chart on the counter. Abby moved out of the way as the doors opened and a gurney was pushed into the room. Luka was pressing a hand on a gushing elbow wound as the EMT paramedic adjusted a blood pressure cuff around the patient's upper arm. Abby moved in to help.

"Get out of here, Abby," Luka ordered. "I've got it." Chuny hurried to take the vitals.

"But…" Abby protested.

"There's a resident and an intern on their way in," Luka said again. "You're off as of right now. Go to lunch with Susan." Abby frowned as she watched them struggle for a second and Luka glared at her again.

"You're pushing yourself too much," he said again. "Go." Susan took her arm and eased her toward the door.

"The place hasn't changed much, Abby," she said. 'Stay too long and you'll get sucked right back in." Abby nodded and turned just as the doors were shoved violently open. She was caught off balance and Susan yelped as Abby was pushed into a storage cabinet at her side, fell against an instrument tray and then crashed to the floor on her belly.

"Abby!" Susan cried and knelt to help her. She lifted her head and found herself staring into the barrel of an intimidating handgun. She didn't move as she glanced carefully around. Luka was standing at the gurney with his gloved and bloody hands splayed in front of his chest as as if he were trying to hold off the young man pointing a gun at him. It was as if time had stopped. They were all waiting for the next…thing…to happen. Susan looked down as Abby groaned quietly and turned on her side. She slowly moved to help her to a sitting position as she pulled herself up.

"Are you okay?" Susan asked. Abby pressed a hand to the growing knot on her forehead and blinked.

"Yeah, I think so," she said as she rested a trembling hand on her belly. "What happened?" Susan met her gaze and then Abby looked around. Luka and Chuny were on either side of the gurney and the EMT was standing at the head. They were all watching the gun that was training alternately from one of them to the other.

"We have visitors," Susan said sarcastically.

"Shut up, bitch," the man holding the gun on her said.

"Can I treat my patient?" Luka asked quietly. "He is a friend of yours, right?" Luka glanced slowly down at the young man on the gurney and then gave quiet instructions to Chuny. She nodded and reached to adjust the saline bag hanging over the man's head.

"Abby," Luka spoke quietly and surely. "I need an extra pair of hands." Abby nodded and grimaced as Susan helped her to her feet.

"Are you okay?" Luka asked as she made her way to the gurney. She nodded as her eyes fearfully met his.

"Gunshot," he said reassuringly. He tipped a head toward Susan and wordlessly she drew on a yellow gown and snapped on a pair of gloves. It was the only sound in the room. She took a deep breath and moved to Abby's side and handed her a pair of gloves. They all looked up as a security guard pushed his way into the room, oblivious to the drama that was playing out there. As he turned and saw, he reached for his gun and there was a deafening blast as the glass in the window behind him shattered from a bullet in the gun that had been pointing at Susan. The security guard ducked and then slipped to the floor.

"He needs an airway, Abby," Luka said insistently and drew their attention back to the patient on the gurney. She nodded and moved to take the instrument and tube Chuny handed her. Susan was listening to his chest and watching as the security guards wrists, knees and ankles were being wrapped with tape.

"Got it," she said. Luka pulled back the soaked toweling cover the man's abdomen.

"Oh god," Abby breathed. "He needs surgery." Luka nodded grimly.

"Hey….I know you," the younger of the gunmen said. "Doc, it's me…Little C. Ain't so little any more though. Just go by C these days." A cold rush of emotion spread through Abby's mind and body. The pit of her stomach rolled. Suddenly she was lying in the back seat of that car again, wondering when they were going to kill her.

"Abby…." A quiet voice drew her back and she moved her eyes to meet the steely gray ones across the gurney from her. Luka's lips twitched and she nodded ever so slightly.

"Suction," he said softly. She nodded and turned her eyes to what he was doing with the patient. A quick glance about the room and she could see the crowd of security guards and police beginning to grow in the trauma room next to them and in the corridor.

"Remember me?" C said as he moved into Abby's eye line.

"Yes," she said firmly as she looked away. "I remember you."

"You still a doc," he stated almost proudly.

"Yes," she replied flatly. C grinned and moved toward his partner.

"She is good," he said. "Remember my big bro, Pharo? She worked on CJ that night he got shot….."

"And he died!" Abby interrupted him angrily. "He needed surgery….real surgery…..and so does your friend."

"So what is the plan here, fellas?" Susan interrupted. "I mean, if you got this far, you must have a plan, right?"

"Susan…" Luka warned. She scowled angrily.

"I don't even work here any more, Luka," she said as she tipped her head slightly toward the hall. "I have kids I need to get home to. So do you." Luka nodded ever so slightly and frowned worriedly as Abby pressed the back of her hand to her forehead.

"What's the plan?" Susan demanded again and turned her head to look at the two angry gun men. She sighed.

"Well, if it were me I'd want the people out there to be damn sure that you have no intention of hurting anyone in here…..as long as they do what you want them to," she said as she worked with Luka to secure a bleeder in the victim's gut. "The police are here already. I am sure the television and news people won't be far behind them. You need to think about a statement for them."

"Shut up ,bitch!" Pharo shouted. "You talk too much. Pay attention to him!"

"I can't help it," Susan went on. "I always talk too much when I'm nervous….or threatened…. She stopped as Pharo pressed the barrel of his gun to her temple. Luka's jaw tensed and she could see the police in the next trauma room come to attention.

"The bitch is right, man," C said lightly from his perch on the counter. "We gotta tell them something." Pharo's gun pulled away from her head and she let out a slow breath. Her relief was short lived as he grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her to the counter, his gun trained on Luka. Chuny stepped in quickly and took Susan's place with the bleeder. Pharo released her and shoved the patient chart on the counter at her. Susan rubbed the back of her neck angrily.

"Now you write exactly what I say…bitch!" Pharo instructed. Susan glanced around at them all and then picked up the pen.


	31. Chapter 31 Hostages

"Susie!" Cosmo cried as she ran to the kitchen door. "Mommy is on television! Come and see!" Susie frowned and made her way into the living room. She stopped and her mouth dropped open. There was a 'special news bulletin' banner running across the bottom of the screen and Susan was standing before a host of microphones. She was reading from a piece of paper. Susie could see police men in the background in the ambulance bay of County's ER.

"It is real important that you know that the people being held hostage are safe," she was reading. "No one will hurt them as long as you follow the directions given to you. Once again, those people are Dr. Luka Kovac, Dr. Abby Lockhart, nurse Chuny Marquez, paramedic Scott Franklin and security guard Daniel Davis." Susan looked directly in the camera and sighed heavily.

"We want our families to know that we are all okay," she said pointedly before stepping back from the microphones. She kissed the times of her fingers and waved them directly into he camera. She turned to go back through the familiar ambulance bay doors and struggled as the police tried to restrain her.

"Stop it!" she cried. "I have to go back." She shook free of their grasp and then stalked into the doors.

"Where was Mom going?" Cosmo asked. Susie shrugged and picked up the phone from the table. She hit a few numbers and waited.

"Grandpa?" she said finally. "Grandpa, I don't know where you are but we really need you to come to our house. Please. As soon as you get home." She pushed the button to break the connection and set the phone back in it's charger. Cosmos was still watching her with a stricken face.

"Is Mom okay?" he asked. Wordlessly Susie set the phone down and reached for him. Cosmo wrapped his arms around her neck and they clung to one another. She looked up as the doorbell rang and Brittany pushed it open. She had Lauren in her arms. Her eyes swept form the two of them to the television and back again.

"We weren't watching anything," she said. "But, Brett called me. He is on his way." Susie nodded gratefully.

"She said that they are fine," she choked finally. "She said they are all okay." Brittany nodded and shifted Lauren on her hip.

"How about if we make some cookies for them? They will be hungry when they get home," she asked as she smiled brightly at Lauren and then Cosmo. "Do you have any chocolate chips?" Cosmo's head popped up.

"We have four kinds," he said proudly and slipped down from Susie's grasp.

"Aunt Susan is something of a chocolate connoisseur," Susie choked. Brittany nodded worriedly as Cosmo took her hand and pulled her toward the kitchen. Susie exchanged grateful glances with her and then turned back to the television. She picked up the changer and flipped from one local station to the next, hoping to catch another news bulletin. She folded her arms closely about her and looked up as there was a knock on the front door and Brett poked his head in.

"Any more news?" he asked as she shook her head and turned back to the television. He slipped his jacket off and dropped in on the staircase and glanced around.

"Where's Brit?" he asked. Susie tipped her head toward the kitchen.

"Making cookies with Cosmo and Lauren," she said. Susie straightened and turned up the volume on the tv as a 'news bulletin banner' flashed across the screen. Brett moved closer to her and they both watched as the station played Susan's statement again and then did a short biography of all of the hostages. Susie shook her head.

"What is going on?" she whispered softly to herself.

Standing in the barricaded trauma room where Luka was checking the stats on the unconscious gunman, Susan closed her eyes and grimaced as his partner drew the barrel of his gun roughly down her jaw line.

"We have kids…and families," she said determindedly. "They have to know that we are okay."

"I tole you to say nuttin' but what was on that paper!" he hollered.

"Take it easy, bro," C said quietly from his perch on the counter. "She didn't do nothing bad." Pharo turned toward him with wild eyes and swung the gun to his face.

"She didn't do what we tole her to do." C shurugged.

"It don't matter….." he said. "Now the cops know we ain't hurt anybody."

"He needs surgery," Abby said quietly from across the gurney.

"You can do it here," Pharo said.

"None of us are surgeons," Abby said. "And this isn't a completely sterile field."

"That's right," Susan said. "We can't open him up here…..he'd be exposed to so many infections and…." Pharo swung the gun back to her face and Susan stopped and her eyes closed. Luka straightened angrily and then his attention was drawn to Abby as she groaned softly and leaned against the gurney as her knees buckled.

"I think my water just broke," she cried softly. Luka hurried to circle the gurney but stopped when Pharo swung the gun to him. Susan turned cautiously and moved to Abby's side.

"Have you been having contractions?" she asked quietly as she put her arm across Abby's shoulders. Chuny had moved worriedly to her other side.

"I didn't think so," Abby gasped. "But maybe I have. It's too early…" Susan glanced down and then quickly looked at Luka. He bent to look under the gurney at Abby's feet. Her navy slacks were soaked and a bit of red blood was pooling around her shoes on the floor. He looked over at C.

"We need another gurney in here," he said firmly. C exchanged glances with Pharo. He jumped down from the counter and sauntered toward the trauma room next door. He stood at the glass and stared at the policemen watching them.

"The doc needs a bed," he said and pointed. "That one." There was some discussion and he stood grinning at them until they pushed the gurney toward the door. He opened it and pulled the wheeled bed into the room. He nodded at the police and watched as Luka hurried to lift onto the bed. Susan pushed the sonasite to the bed side and blocked Pharo's view as Luka lifted Abby's shirt and quickly ran the ultrasound wand over her belly.

"An abruption?" Susan asked. Luka shrugged and studied the ultrasound screen.

"Uh…no" Abby protested as she tried to sit up. "I am not having an abruption."

"I don't see anything," he said as he ignored he and pressed her gently back on the gurney. "He's moving around a bit."

"He?" Abby gasped. Luka grinned slightly and shrugged.

"Sorry…" he said. Abby shook her head and shared a slight smile with him. She glanced toward C and Pharo. They were staring at her. Her smile faded.

"Got a strong heartbeat," Susan said as she listened through her stethoscope. Abby's hands clenched as she writhed in the throes of another contraction.

"Oh god, Luka," she cried. "It's too early."

"No…no…" he crooned reassuringly. "It will be fine." He cupped a hand to the side of her face and waited until her eyes met his. "It'll be okay." A tear dripped down the side of her face as she reached up to squeeze his hand and nodded. Luka smiled carefully and then looked up at Pharo and C.

"She needs OB," he said. "You want his surgery done here? Okay. I'll do it. But she goes to OB."

"No, Luka!" Abby murmured in a panic.

"She goes to Obstetrics…now!" Pharo's eyes narrowed as they flashed from Luka's face to C's, to Abby and to Dakota's comatose form.

"Okay," he said finally as he moved to help push Abby's gurney from the room.

"Dr. Lewis too," Luka said.

"What?" Susan exclaimed. "If you are planning to do surgery you're going to need my help…."

"She stays with Abby." Luka's voice was quiet and deadly. Pharo stared at him for a long moment and then nodded. Luka bent down and pressed a kiss to Abby's forehead.

"No…..Luka…..please," she pleaded as she clung to his hand.

"It'll be okay." He kissed her again and caressed her belly gently as he drew a sheet over her. "It'll be okay." Abby nodded and then sighed as she gripped the sides of the gurney. Luka was still as he watched the doors open.

"Susan…" he choked finally. Susan looked back at him.

"I won't leave her side, Luka," she said. "I promise." There was a flurry of activity as the doors swung shut and Abby's gurney was pulled through the crowd of security and police in the corridor. Luka watched until he saw the elevator doors shut.

"Chuny?" he said.

"I'm right here," she said as she straightened next to Dakota's gurney. "Tell me what you want me to do."

"I can help too, Doc," the paramdic said from the corner of the room. "Get them to untie me." Luka dragged his eyes from the body on the gurney to his captors. C pushed his way past Pharo and knelt to remove the tape at the security guards feet. Luka took a deep breath and pulled back the sheets covering Dakota's chest.


	32. Chapter 32 OB

Susan stood by the phone and took a deep breath and sighed. She glanced into the surgical room where they were prepping Abby for an emergency C-section.

"Come on…" she pleaded quietly. At last it began to ring and she grinned as it was answered immediately.

"Hello?" It was Susie.

"Susie……" Susan said shakily.

"Aunt Susan!" the girl exclaimed. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"Oh sweetie, I'm fine," Susan said as she pressed her forehead against the wall. "Luka convinced them to let Abby and I go. I'm in the surgical unit with her right now. They're prepping her for a C section."

"She's having the baby?" Susan suppressed a smile.

"Yeah," she said softly. "I'm going to stay with her right now. I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Is Grandpa there?"

"Yes," Susie said tearfully. "And Brett and Jake and some of the others who saw the news on tv. Brittany used up all your chocolate chips making cookies with Cosmo and Lauren."

"All of them?" Susan chuckled. "There had better be some cookies for me when I get home." She smiled as she heard Susie giggle and looked up as they waved to her from the surgical room.

"Honey, I have to go," she said quickly. "I'll call you as soon as I have any more news. I love you." She hung up and went into the scrub room and pulled on a new surgical gown. She slipped a cap on her head and hurried inside. Abby was lying on the table and looked up at her anxiously.

"Hi," Susan said reassuringly and took Abby's free hand in her's. "I just talked to Susie. Brittany, Lauren and Cosmo baked their way through all of my chocolate chips. They're doing fine." Tears filled Abby's eyes and she nodded. Her eyes asked a question she didn't dare ask.

"There's no news from downstairs," Susan said quietly. "But that's good news right?" Abby swallowed and nodded slightly.

"My god, Abby," Susan grinned slightly as she looked around. "You're having the baby…" Abby laughed slightly and squeezed Susan's hand.

"I'm glad you're here," she choked. Tears dripped down the sides of her face and Susan nodded as she wiped them away with a surgical towel.

"Okay, Abby," Janet Coburn said as she peered over the drape blocking their view of Abby's belly. "We're ready to start. Let's get this baby out." Susan clung to her hand and sat near her head as an incision was made across Abby's abdomen. They both looked up as the door from the scrub room opened and Luka strode in. There was an angry red mark on the side of his face but he was grinning. They could tell even though he was wearing a mask. Susan stood up and made room for him.

"Hey…" he said softly as he leaned over to kiss Abby's lips. "Everything okay?"

"Now it is…." Abby said tearfully as she clung to his hand. Susan grinned.

"Yeah, it's fine," she said happily. "My feelings aren't hurt." Luka looked up at her, his eyes dancing. Susan rounded the table to observe the surgery and her eyes widened in delight.

"Oh, he's beautiful!" she exclaimed softly as Janet handed the tiny baby boy to the NICU resident standing by.

"It's a little boy, Abby," Janet said as she turned back to Abby's surgical opening. "Congratulations, Luka."

"Why isn't he crying?" Abby asked in panic. "Luka…." Luka clung to her hand and stood up to see the baby in the warmer. The resident was wiping him off and then listening to his chest.

"Give him a minute, Abby," Susan said. "Poor kid has been yanked out of nice, warm little cocoon. He's in shock. He'll be mad about it in a second." Her smile widened as the baby squalled just as she finished. Luka grinned and leaned down to kiss Abby's hand.

"He's beautiful…" Luka told her. "Not as much hair as Lauren had and smaller but…"

"Four pounds and two ounces," the resident said as he wheeled the baby warmer closer so Abby could see. "Ten fingers, ten toes, resps are fine for the moment. Not too shabby for a 35 weeker. I am going to get him up to NICU for more thorough check but I think he's a keeper…" Abby strained a bit to see her son in the warmer. Her head dropped down again and Luka nodded as the resident headed out the door.

Go with him, Luka," Abby cried in panic.

"Stay. This has been interesting and all but I prefer to go with…..him," Susan gestured toward the door. "Do you guys have a name picked out yet or anything?'

"Thank you, Susan," Luka said gratefully. She smiled and nodded and then her eyes widened a bit as Janet dropped a huge blood clot that nearly filled the surgical pan she put it in.

"There's the abruption," Janet said. Susan stopped worriedly and glanced at Luka. He was studying the rapidly filling cell saver near by.

"Luka…' she said drawing him back. "A name?" He glanced down at Abby and then smiled at Susan.

"Declan," he said. "Declan Kovac." Susan frowned in confusion.

"Declan?" she murmured. "But isn't that like…Irish? Well, I like it. Will they let me in NICU with him? They better. Never mind. I'm Aunt Susan…a force to be reckoned with." Luka laughed as she hurried out and he bent to kiss Abby again.

"Luka," Janet said forebodingly. "Abby…we need to talk."

Upstairs in NICU the resident in charge of Declan allowed her in the unit. She scrubbed for the requisite amount of time, gowned herself again and made her way to the warmer that held the baby. He was surrounded by personnel as they were all given the information about his birth and current stats. She waited and then stepped closer when there was just a nurse. She smiled and reached out a finger toward the tiny little fist on the bed. He was wired up and already had an IV line.

"Aw, poor little guy," she sighed softly as she traced a gentle finger across the side of his face. "I bet you just want to be snuggled up with your mom."

When Luka appeared an hour later, Susan was dozing in a rocker next to the warmer. He glanced at the baby in the warmer next to her, smiled for a second and then reached out to touch her shoulder. Susan started, shook her head and then stood up. They stood across from one another and studied the baby. He was covered with a blanket and a soft preemie mask covered his eyes.

"How's Abby?" she asked. Luka shrugged.

"Fine now," he said. "She's in recovery. Coburn had to do a hysterectomy." Susan's shoulders sagged.

"Oh, Luka," she said. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah," he said. "Abby was pissed. But as soon as she was in recovery she sent me up to see the baby." A tiny smile teased the corner of his lips as he slipped the tip of his finger into the baby's hand.

"Should I go see her?" Susan asked. Luka shook his head.

"Naw," he said. "She'll sleep for a couple of hours. You should go home. The kids will be worried."

"You're probably right," she said. "I have talked to them a couple of times. My dad is there. He finally convinced Brittany to go home and Lauren is ecstatic to be having a sleepover with Cosmo. Susie will be up until she sees me and knows for sure they we are all okay." She circled the end of the warmer and slipped her arms around his neck.

"If I am ever in a hostage situation again," she said as she hugged him, " Promise me that you'll be there too?" Luka laughed quietly.

"You were the one that had things under control," he said as he kissed her cheek. Susan smiled and headed toward the NICU doors. She glanced back and he was leaning on the warmer, his finger caressing the tiny baby's tummy with his big hand.

Susan whipped off the gown and strode wearily down the corridor of the OB floor. She rode the elevator down to the ER. The hall to the trauma room had been corrdioned off as a crime scene. Other than that, it was business as usual, albeit a quieter night. She glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was after midnight. It had been just twelve hours since she had stood at the desk waiting for Abby and talking to Luka about a damn puppy for Cosmo. She stood still for along moment and then she saw him standing up slowly.

He stood by one of the rows of chairs in the waiting room. She hadn't actually seen him in months. He had a baseball cap rolled up and jammed into the pocket of his jeans. He stood with his hands on his hips, so like a coach, eyes studying her and just waiting. Susan walked toward the door and pushed the button that opened the sliding glass between them.

"I thought you might need a ride home," David said as she neared. "They said I could wait here." She stared at him uneasily for a long moment and then took a deep breath.

"Now do you see why we can't tolerate violence of any kind from kids?" she asked. "Especially toward other kids?" He nodded and took another step closer to her. Susan was suddenly consumed with all of the pent up emotions that she had crunched down inside her the moment she realized what was happening to them. Her eyes were flooded and threatened to spill over.

"Do you see now why it's important that we stop it when we can?" Her voice quavered and David nodded again as he inched closer.

"They push kids in the hallway at school and the next thing you know they are shooting at each other with….with…." David nodded again and reached out to pull her gently against him. Susan's throat was constricted and her hands curled into tight fists between them as David held her. Her shoulders began to shake and her fists relaxed as he tightened his hold, comforting and safe. She took a deep, deep breath and then began to sob quietly. Slowly she wrapped her arms around him and held on for dear life.


	33. Chapter 33 Sunshine and puppies

There was a smile on her face as she pulled her car into the driveway and turned off the ignition. Abby was raking old leaves and mulch from the flower beds that lined either side of the porch steps. Lauren was dancing through the grass on the lawn, playing with her soccer ball. The sun was shining and the air had just a touch of spring nippiness. She got out of the car and pulled her bag after her.

"Hey…," she called as Abby stopped and leaned on her rake. 'Should you be doing that?"

"I've got to do something" Abby sighed. "It's too beautiful to be inside." Susan nodded and rounded her car. She dropped the bag in the ground and leaned back against the side.

"And how's the baby today?" she asked. Abby grinned broadly.

"Holding his temp on his own," she said as she started raking again. "He actually nursed without falling asleep…much. I'm guessing we are still on for bringing him home on Thursday. Oh, and they let me take Lauren in with me today."

"Really?" Susan exclaimed. Abby nodded.

"One of the perks of being on staff, I suppose," she said. "I left her with Luka in the ER and he brought her up." She stopped raking and straightened again. "She has seen me use the pump and I have explained it all to her but if you could have just seen the look on her face when I was nursing him…." Abby's shoulders shook with laughter.

"Oh, give her a week and she will be sitting next to you when you nurse holding her baby doll under her Dora tee shirt," Susan chuckled and then frowned a little as she saw Lauren stabbing a stick into the ground.

"What is she doing now?" she asked. Abby glanced over her shoulder.

"Ah…Luka's newest," she said. "He doesn't want Lauren or Cosmo handling the feces yet so whenever they find a 'puppy pile' in the grass they are supposed to put a flag in it for him."

"Serves him right for bringing Cosmo home with a chocolate lab," Susan cried. "I specifically told him to help pick out something that had small poops."

"Awww….he's cute and Cosmo knew you would have a hard time resisting anything with the word 'chocolate' in it's name," Abby chuckled.

"Which is why he and Susie came up with the name Fudge for the dog?" Susan shook her head. "Hey, I signed a contract today…"

"Really? Where at?" Abby ducked her head and raked her refuse into a pile. Susan watched her curiously.

"If you have to ask that the County grapevine isn't working as well as it used to." Abby stopped and then looked up at her.

"No, it works just fine,"' she said with a smile. "Welcome back." Susan grinned.

"You knew I would do it, didn't you?" Abby shrugged.

"Eventually, I guess. Something about County just gets in your blood," she said as she moved next to Susan and leaned back against the car. "Besides, you told Carter once that this was your home. That it was important to you."

"Yeah, I did," Susan sighed.

"Spaghetti for dinner tonight?" Abby with a tip of her head. "There's plenty if you want to invite David as well." Susan shook her head.

"Naw, he's busy," she said. "There's a cute little third grade teacher that he's seeing." Abby's brows raised in surprise.

"He's ready for the whole dating scene again," Susan sighed. "I'm not…..yet I've got a salad in the fridge and bread too, I think. We'll bring that." She picked up her bag and headed for the porch.

"The school bus will be here any minute," she said as she climbed the steps and pulled out her keys. "I'd better let the Fudgesicle out of his crate."

Abby dragged her rake over to the porch and sat down on the steps to watch Lauren. She grinned as the little girl kicked the pink and white soccer ball in the grass again and chased after it. Abby looked up and laughed as a wriggling puppy clambered down the steps, stopped to paw her shoulder and lap at her face and then bounded out in the grass toward Lauren. Susan was holding tight to an extended leash when a school bus drew to a stop in front of the house. She sat on the step next to Abby as the doors of the bus opened and Cosmo jumped down the steps carrying his back pack and jacket. He grinned and fell to his knees as Susan finally released the straining puppy's leash. Fudge raced through the grass to the little boy. Cosmo fell back in the grass as the puppy climbed all over him licking every available piece of skin. Lauren dropped in the grass by Cosmo and the puppy climbed all over her as well. Their giggles resounded back to the porch and Abby and Susan exchanged grins.

"Nice life we have here," Susan sighed as she tipped her head back and closed her eyes to catch some warm rays from the sun.

"Yeah…." Abby nodded and did the same.

The End

_When I first conceived this story it was intended to cover the span of one year in the friendship of Susan Lewis and Abby Lockhart-Kovac. A year of grieving, laughter and shared events. A story intended to tell of the ins and outs of friendship and 'family'. My original intention was to write 12 chapters, one for each month. Heh. I dropped the ball on several events and have not been totally happy with how they played out in the end. But I like the story enough not to delete it entirely. I know there are at least some of you that feel the same. Thank you for your support and reviews. I love writing for these families in the duplex…..and I fear this won't be the last you see of them. I keep seeing Luke in my head…..in a Goofy hat at Disneyworld…._


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